Shimla, April 1 -- Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed the Shimla Road Users and Pedestrians (Public Safety and Convenience) Amendment Bill, 2026, introducing stringent penalties and higher permit fees to curb unauthorized vehicular movement in key pedestrian zones of the state capital.

The Bill, tabled a day earlier by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, was passed by voice vote without opposition, as BJP members had staged a walkout earlier in the day.

The legislation seeks to restore the traditional pedestrian culture of Shimla, often associated with walking along heritage stretches like the Mall Road by imposing steep fines on violators.

Under the new provisions, vehicles found plying on sealed roads without valid perm...