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Historic Kalka-Shimla Railway Line Set to Resume Services from October 1

In a much-awaited development, the historic Kalka-Shimla railway line is expected to resume its services from October 1. This iconic narrow gauge railway, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, had temporarily halted its operations due to extensive damage caused by heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides in Himachal Pradesh. The 96-kilometer track, known for its scenic beauty, passes through 18 stations, 102 tunnels, and 988 bridges. The enchanting journey offers passengers breathtaking views of lush green valleys adorned with pine, oak, and deodar trees. Repair work commenced in July to address the damage at 352 locations along the route. So far, 327 locations have been repaired, with work ongoing at the remaining 25. Notably, the section between Jutogh and Summer Hill stations, near Shimla, was severely affected, requiring the construction of a new bridge. Mandeep Bhatia, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Ambala, expressed optimism about the restoration efforts. He stated that the British-era railway line is expected to be fully restored till Shimla by September 30, with train services resuming on October 1. In the meantime, services have already commenced till Koti from September 5. To ensure the long-term resilience of the railway line, various measures are being implemented, including the construction of retaining walls, longitudinal and cross drains, and slope protection. Additionally, rock bolting, tunnel grouting, and other strategies are being employed to safeguard the track from future natural disasters. The reopening of the Kalka-Shimla railway line is a significant boost to tourism in Himachal Pradesh, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the charm of this heritage railway and explore the scenic beauty of the region. With its resumption, travelers and railway enthusiasts can once again embark on a memorable journey through the picturesque landscapes of this iconic route.

13 Sep 2023
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Against All Odds: The Inspiring Story of a Village's Fight to Save Its Cultural Legacy

Weddings in North India are known for their opulence, grandeur, and Bollywood-inspired flair, with glittery lehengas and groom's shoes stealing traditions often taking center stage. However, in a remote village nestled in the rugged Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, the natives refuse to conform to these imported practices.  Sumra, a village with around 80 houses and a population of approximately 300, is bucking the trend of modern wedding rituals that go against their traditions. The village has passed a resolution banning practices like cake-cutting, mehndi rituals, and joota chhipana, which are often seen in Punjabi and Bollywood-inspired weddings. The Kinnauri tribe, which makes up most of the inhabitants in the region, has a distinct culture influenced by Hindu, Buddhist, and indigenous beliefs and practices. The Hangrang Rinchen Buddhist Cultural Heritage Foundation, an association that takes all decisions relating to the tribe's culture and traditions, has been instrumental in leading the charge to preserve their heritage. Leaders of other gram panchayats have also agreed to pass similar resolutions in their villages. Although the wedding bans lack legal authority, the resolution represents a significant stride towards safeguarding the Kinnauri tribe's distinctive culture. Jagat Singh Negi, the Himachal Pradesh tribal development and revenue minister, has endorsed the resolution and underscored the importance of preserving the Kinnauri culture's valuable aspects. The resolution's passing signals mounting concerns over the erosion of local customs and the urgency of shielding them from the impact of external cultures. Sumra's resolve to protect its cultural heritage serves as an inspiration to other communities facing the same challenge. It is a reminder that despite modernization and globalization, traditions and heritage must be preserved to keep our identity intact. In a world that is becoming increasingly homogenized, the Kinnauri tribe is showing us that our cultural heritage is worth protecting.

9 Apr 2023
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Himachal Pradesh to Become a Model State for Electric Vehicle Adoption

Himachal Pradesh aims to become a model state for Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption providing sustainable, safe, eco-friendly, inclusive and integrated mobility. This was conveyed by Chief Secretary, Shrikant Baldi at a meeting on Himachal’s Electric Vehicle Policy- 2019. In the meeting, a target was set for the state to achieve 100 per cent transition to Electric Vehicles by 2030. This is in line with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals and vision of the Government of India. Policy Objective Baldi said that the policy was framed with the objective of environment protection, accelerating demand for EVs, promotion of a sustainable transport system and creation of public-private charging infrastructure for EV’s. It aims to create a conducive atmosphere for a transition to EVs by encouraging the use of hybrid EVs and creation of new employment opportunities. Charging Infrastructure One of the main challenges of adopting electric mobility is to provide proper and adequate charging infrastructure. Baldi said that the policy aims to promote the creation of dedicated infrastructure for charging of EVs. This involves the development of a viable business model to attract private players to set up EV charging stations and infrastructure. He said that the policy has also included provisions to set up charging spots in commercial buildings such as hotels and shopping malls. Plans are being made to manufacture the vehicles locally with the State Government’s decision to provide incentives to EV batteries and related components manufacturing and disposal in the Sate. While most of the countries in the world are speeding up their efforts to adopt electric mobility for sustainable development, Himachal Pradesh will become a model state for electric vehicle adoption in India which other states may emulate and implement.  

20 Sep 2019
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Delhi Crafts Council revives 'Chamba Rumal' art through exhibition

The Chamba Rumal is a traditional art form of Himachal Pradesh that is reflected in the paintings and embroidery done on cloth by skillful artisans. The Delhi Crafts Council has undertaken a series of efforts to revive this art form and make this dying art popular.  To infuse new life into this unique art, an art exhibition is being showcased at the Visual Art Gallery at Indian Habitat Centre in New Delhi from April 3 to April 8. The  embroidered square cloths gets its name from Chamba in the state of Himachal Pradesh. These beautiful handkerchieves are an embroidered handicraft that was once promoted under the patronage of the former rulers of Chamba. Now, they are used for covering platters, as gifts for auspicious occasions and for offerings to a deity.  During weddings, the families of the bride and groom exchange the rumals as a token of goodwill. The outlines are drawn on fine handspun and hand woven unbleached muslin by Pahari miniature artists, especially men. The women then work on these compositions by doing embroidery using untwisted coloured silk floss. The double satin stitch technique used is known as do-rukha which ensures that the same beautiful images also appear on the reverse side. The sophistication of these miniature paintings is reflected in its elaborate floral borders, ornamentation and portrayal of figures and animals.  The exhibition will not only showcase the handcrafted rumals, but also honour artisans and craft persons who have worked hard to keep this unique art form alive.The Council is offering guided tours of the exhibition so that interested art lovers will get an in depth understanding of this unique art form.

6 Apr 2017
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A Professor's idea helps to save snake bite victims

In India, more than 50,000 snake bite victims die, mostly due to the delay in reaching the hospital or non-availability of anti-snake venom in health facilities. Dr Omesh Kumar Bharti (corresponding author) from Himachal Pradesh with a team of GVKEMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute), Hyderabad wrote a research paper titled,  'Transporting snake bite victims to appropriate health facility within golden hour through toll free emergency' which has been proved useful and has been referenced in WHO guidelines for snake bite management, 2016, released earlier this week.   It suggested carrying anti snake venom in emergency ambulances that can be given to the snake bite victims promptly which could mean the difference between life and death for snake bite victims. This was observed while transporting snake bite victims to hospitals in 108 emergency ambulance service across the country, which is free of cost. Administering ASV( Anti Snake Venom) in ambulances is a life saving innovation which was practiced first in Himachal Pradesh. Later six other states and Union Territories adopted the same pattern. The research paper was published in the International Journal of Tropical Disease and Health in 2016. Dr Omesh Kumar Bharti, field epidemiologist with the Himachal government presented the research study at the Geneva Health Forum in Geneva (Switzerland) last year and was a part of national consultations in the Government of India for drafting snake bite management guidelines in 2016.  

2 Apr 2017
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Orchard owners in HP install anti hail machines to protect apple crops

As the apple orchard owners suffered huge losses when their crops were destroyed by hail stones, they decided to combat the problem by installing advanced anti hail machines imported from New Zealand.  Himachal Pradesh is known for the best varieties of apples. In 2014, hailstorms had destroyed their crops, but this year the farmers are confident of tackling any impending calamity. The anti hail guns have been successfully test fired and declared fully functional to protect their fruits that are due for harvesting in July-August. Each device cost over Rs 1 crore, but the growers couldn't get subsidy or support from the government. The HP government had instead promoted a scheme to provide 80 per cent subsidy on anti hail nets to growers. There were no takers for these nets as the crops were vulnerable to attacks even after that. The anti hail guns, on the other hand have worked and turned saviour for the apple growers. Like all crops, the fate of HP's  Rs 3,500 crore apple economy depends on the weather to a large extent. Right from the time the trees start bearing flowers in April, to July-August when the fruits are ready for plucking, the single biggest worry for growers is the threat of hail. The anti-hail gun is a shockwave generator that does not allow the formation of hail stones in the atmosphere. The ignition of acetylene gas and oxygen in the lower chamber results in a blast that travels at the speed of sound through the cloud formations above and converts the hail stones that would have been formed into harmless raindrops or soft sleet. The protected area of cloud formation – which can be prevented from developing into hail - for an individual machine, is about 1.5 km around it.

30 Mar 2017
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