Ashwani Sharma | Citizen Matters

Shimla’s old tunnels are crying for attention; planned ones in limbo

October 8, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Maintenance of its British-era tunnels and creation of new ones could be effective solutions to mobility challenges in the hill town. But clearly, government priorities lie elsewhere.

Shimla’s haphazard building policy a recipe for climate disaster

September 1, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

As per official estimates, there are more than 31,000 unauthorised buildings in major hill towns in Himachal Pradesh, with Shimla constituting 30 per cent of these.

State-of-the-art early warning system to save more lives in Shimla, Kullu, Manali during extreme climate events

July 23, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Extreme weather events triggered by climate change pose huge risk to life in Himachal Pradesh. To mitigate these risks, the state is now all set to install a first-of-its-kind automatic ‘Early Warning System’ in Kullu district.

From ‘water-starved’ to ‘water-surplus’: Shimla’s success story inspiring other Himachal towns

July 14, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

With the hill town shut, the administration was able to introduce better water conservation systems and improve operational efficiencies. What can other ULBs in the region learn from it?

Tourism and local industries at a standstill, will infrastructure revive Himachal’s urban economy?

May 25, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Himachal Pradesh has seen nearly 80 per cent loss of livelihoods, both rural and urban. The government is now pinning hopes on opening up construction and other infrastructure projects.

Shimla’s unsung corona warriors on alert 24X7

May 16, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

For the past six weeks, Shimla’s 260 odd sanitation workers are putting in extra hours to clean and maintain sewerage lines, hoping to keep its 2.3 lakh citizens safe from infection.

Shimla: Hunger looms large as jobs fall prey to COVID-19

April 15, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Sirmauris, as natives from Shillai are known, have been living for years in Shimla working as porters, tourist guides, taxi drivers, private security and waiters. So have the roughly 8000 porters from Kashmir. But none of them have faced such a financial crisis ever before, unable to meet even their basic food needs.

Shimla: Corona fears cast shadow over Himachal’s apple produce

April 6, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

The worry among Himachal’s fruit growers is not just that the coronavirus lockdown will affect the apple orchards, but also the farms growing cherries, pomegranate and green almonds, all of which normally hit the market in July-August.

Shimla: Playgrounds and parks vanish in the name of development

March 11, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

In the once-green British-era hill town of Shimla, unplanned urbanisation and construction have gobbled up most of the parks and grounds that children used to play in. Thankfully, there is a strong citizen-led movement that may force the government to take action to reverse this.

Nostalgia: No more frolicking on the ice in Shimla

January 22, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Even as it celebrates the centenary of its creation, Shimla’s iconic natural ice skating Rink seems to be dying a slow death, primarily due to environmental changes and unplanned urbanisation in its surroundings.

Smart city Dharamshala aspires to be more than a picturesque spiritual retreat

January 2, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

For decades, Dharamshala’s only claim to fame was as the home of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. A recent spurt of growth and the tag of ‘smart city’ has seen the town aiming to emerge as one of the best business and tourist destinations in India. Can it succeed?

Shimla city administration on alert even as tourists count days to snowfall

December 9, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Shimla is one of those destinations that hold an irresistible appeal for tourists who wish to savour the charm of snowfall in India. Yet, every year, snow brings with it its own share of problems for the city and its people. Here’s how they are gearing up for it this winter.

How a small Himalayan town panchayat is showing Shimla the way to effective waste management

October 22, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Aima panchayat, an urban-rural agglomeration near Palampur, has its own modern garbage treatment park, with the facility to handle all kinds of waste, including plastic. Inspired by it, Shimla has now set up its own waste-to-energy plant, expected to help the capital in sustainable waste management.

Quaint book café in Shimla, inspired by Kullu’s, a vibrant cultural landmark today

September 25, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

An innovative experiment in Kullu inspired a similar initiative in Shimla, where the book café, managed by jailed convicts, has turned into a vibrant literary hub, attracting the city’s creative fraternity. Such has been its success that three more are being planned.

Catch 22 in Shimla: To save urban forests or stay safe?

August 30, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Every year, heavy monsoon rains cause the uprooting or instability of many large trees, posing a risk to life and property. Then again, the same pretext is used for rampant illegal tree felling in the town, that has led to loss of 50-55% of its green cover over the last 30 years.