Shimla’s Sealed-Road Pass Surge Draw High Court’s Ire
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday expressed alarm over the sharp rise in sealed-road vehicle passes in Shimla, even as it ordered urgent repairs to a dangerously bulging retaining wall near the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
760 Passes in Just One Year
Fresh affidavits revealed that nearly 760 sealed-road passes were issued between November 2024 and November 2025 under the Shimla Road Users and Pedestrians Act. The Bench reminded authorities of its earlier warning that too many exemptions were choking pedestrian movement in the city’s core areas.
Pedestrian Safety Under Strain
Despite repeated concerns about congestion and misuse of passes, exemptions continue to climb. The Court stressed that the administration must factor in pedestrian safety when renewing passes going forward.
Fragile ‘Danga’ Raises Alarm
The Bench also examined a weakened retaining wall on the ARTRAC–Ram Bazar road, which photographs showed bulging outward and at risk of collapse. Located next to a school, the wall’s failure could endanger children and block the only access road to the locality.
Rejecting ownership disputes, the Court directed the Municipal Corporation to fix the wall immediately, calling the safety risk too urgent to delay.
The matter will come up again on January 8, 2026, when the High Court reviews compliance and next steps.
Would you like me to make the headline more punchy for digital readers (like “Shimla’s Sealed Roads and Crumbling Wall Put Safety at Risk”) or keep it formal and restrained for a traditional newspaper style?
