Shimla – In a move aimed at safeguarding its fragile ecology and preserving historically significant areas, the Himachal Pradesh government has issued strict new guidelines for construction in heritage and green zones. The new regulations mandate that no construction activity will be permitted in these designated areas without prior approval from the state government.
Principal Secretary (Town and Country Planning) Devesh Kumar issued the notification, bringing substantial changes to the existing approval system. Under the revised procedure, building maps prepared by registered architects or planners for heritage or green zones must first be submitted to the local municipal body. These proposals will then be forwarded to the Director of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, who will send them to the State Heritage Advisory Committee for recommendations.
Following the committee’s review, the proposals will be sent to the state government for in-principle approval. Only after receiving this approval can the competent authority permit construction. This multi-layered process is aimed at ensuring that development does not compromise the environmental and historical integrity of these zones.
The government has already identified various heritage areas for their cultural significance and green zones for their ecological importance. The move comes amid rising concerns over unchecked construction and ecological degradation in the hill state.
The notification also grants greater disciplinary powers to the TCP Director. Any architect, town planner, structural engineer, geologist, draftsman, or surveyor found violating the new regulations may face strict action. The Director can suspend or cancel their registration, and financial penalties ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000 may be imposed, depending on the severity of the violation.
These actions will be taken under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, and the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Rules, 2014.
The new rules are expected to bring more accountability and transparency in the construction approval process, while also strengthening the legal framework to prevent unauthorised development in Himachal’s ecologically and culturally sensitive zones.
