Ashwani Sharma | | Citizen Matters

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.

Eid with family? Kashmiri labourers in Shimla stare at uncertainty

August 10, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Migrant Kashmiris working in other states have been unable to communicate with their families due to the communication blackout in the aftermath of the scrapping of Article 370 and reorganisation of the state. Shimla’s porters mirror the condition of Kashmiris around the country.

Why Shimla smart city projects worth Rs 2905 crore look destined to fail

August 1, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

53 projects in all are envisaged under the Shimla Smart city mission, all to be completed by 2022. But a severe crunch of funds, coupled with an NGT ban on new construction to arrest haphazard and risky sprawl, makes it all seem unrealistic and unattainable.

Traffic jam at 13000 feet: What summer tourism means for hill towns in Himachal!

July 10, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Summer heat in the northern plains sees tourists flocking in huge numbers to Shimla, Kullu-Manali and the scenic Rohtang Pass. But just look at what it does to the ecology and the regular lives of citizens here.

Udta Himachal: Is Shimla set to be the new drug capital of the country?

June 26, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

50-60 percent of youth in Shimla are caught in a massive drug menace, as addicts, peddlers or both, says the owner of a rehab centre in the city. Other surveys yield similar findings. What has led to this and why is an effective crackdown missing?

Contrary to 2018, Shimla has enough water today, but will it last?

May 20, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

In the summer of 2018, Shimla’s peak tourist season, not a drop flowed in the taps of the town for over a week and thousands of visitors had to leave. May 2019 has seen a remarkable reversal in the water situation, but can the town afford to be complacent?

Water, connectivity and farmer crisis in focus, as fauji meets fauji in Shimla Lok Sabha contest

May 18, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Both the Congress and BJP have fielded candidates with a military background, presumably in line with the national campaign theme of the BJP — that of nationalism and security — but voters in Shimla have more immediate concerns and demands that they want their MP to take up.