Shimla, Sept. 13 -- To ease out the state capital's traffic congestion, around 200 families are likely to be displaced as the public works department (PWD) has issued a land acquisition notification to widen key city routes - including Cart Road and Circular Road and improve narrow stretches in the town. Under this project, 20,444.10 square metres of land across various localities of the city will be acquired. According to a study conducted by the social impact assessment (SIA) unit, approximately 200 families are likely to be displaced due to this land acquisition. PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh said, "The road widening had become necessary as Shimla's existing infrastructure was not designed to handle the city's present population and the substantial floating population comprising tourists and daily commuters. Shimla city was built during the British period, and its carrying capacity is not enough for the population that exists in the state capital today." He said that while Shimla's official population was around 2-2.5 lakh, the number of people present in the city at any given time rises to around 4.5-5 lakh when tourists and the floating population are taken into account. "At any given point of time, around 4.5 to 5 lakh people are commuting, staying or moving around Shimla," the minister said. The widening is necessitated in wake of the vehicular rush witnessed by Shimla, also known as the Queen of Hills, making the matter worse during tourist season. The gravity of the traffic inflow can be gauged from the fact that 18 lakh vehicles recorded entering Shimla during the months of May and June. According to the Shimla police, approximately six lakh of these vehicles were from outside Himachal Pradesh, highlighting the scale of tourist arrivals this summer. The city has been witnessing slow moving traffic as people from the plains rushed to Shimla to escape from the scorching heat. According to the notification issued by the PWD department, narrow sections along Major District Road-66 (MDR-66)-stretching from Tutikandi to Sanjauli via Chhota Shimla-and Major District Road-67 (MDR-67)-from Victory Tunnel to Dhalli Chowk via Lakkar Bazar-will be widened. Additionally, the plan includes the construction of a new footpath near the Tibetan School in Chhota Shimla to ensure smooth and safe movement for commuters and the general public. The government has provided an opportunity for landowners to present their views. Any interested person having objections to this land acquisition may file them within 60 days of the notification's issuance date at the office of the land acquisition collector. Several prominent areas of Shimla (Urban) fall within the scope of this acquisition which includes Choura Maidan, Krishnanagar, Bazar Ward (Chhota Shimla), Bemloi, Chhota Shimla Khas, Upper Kaithu, Tara Hall, Kalibari, Bazar Ward (Lakkar Bazar), Shankli, Sanjauli Chowk, and U.S. Club. The department has released a detailed list of the properties to be acquired-including permanent and temporary shops, houses, staircases, pathways, and vacant land-along with their respective Khasra (plot) numbers. Singh said the Circular Road, which is the main road connecting different parts of the state capital, needed to be widened to accommodate the increasing traffic burden. He said the government had been working on the proposal for some time and had conducted inspections at several stretches, including Victory Tunnel, Secretariat, IGMC and Sanjauli. "The entire process has now been completed and the land acquisition process has started," Singh said. "Compensation will be provided under the proper land acquisition policy. The applicable circle rate will be considered and compensation will be provided to the affected people," he said. Singh also said the government had proposed two tunnels as part of efforts to improve internal connectivity and reduce traffic pressure on Shimla's existing roads. He said approval had been given for the first phase of a proposed tunnel connecting Talland directly with IGMC. "The effort is to connect Talland directly with IGMC so that there is better internal connectivity and people do not have to travel through the main Shimla routes," he said. The DPR for the proposed tunnel is currently under preparation, Singh said, adding that the project would provide an important alternative route for commuters and help ease traffic congestion in the capital....