2 weeks Ago By Krishna Kakani
A British-era water tank, built in the 1880s, is located underneath The Ridge, Shimla. Although a central location in the Himachal Pradesh capital, it’s a no-vehicle zone, because its foundation has been sinking. Exceptions were only made for emergency vehicles until, on November 28, two trucks managed to enter the area and drive on it.
A video on social media shows the twin lorries parked, their lights flashing, in front of Christ Church, a neo-Gothic structure older than the water tank itself. The trucks are also seen heading down the street, which runs along Mall Road. Sharing the clip on X, formerly Twitter, a user named Nihkil Saini wrote, “Have you been to Shimla and visited the iconic Ridge? This historic spot, with a 100-year-old water tank beneath, is sinking.
Events are banned, ambulances aren’t allowed—but yesterday, heavy trucks rolled in, crushing all restrictions. “The truck driver even made a reel to show off. Is this the govt’s way of protecting heritage? Forget maintaining the legacy; they’re actively destroying what’s left.
” People online have since been fuming over the incident. “Trucks on The Ridge? This is absolutely ridiculous!,” commented one. The Ridge isn’t just a popular tourist spot connecting Lakkar Bazaar with Scandal Point, or about its colonial heritage.
The area, flanked by Sutlej and Ganga river basins, is built above a water tank on which a large part of Shimla depends. However, subsidence has been reported under The Ridge, which has sunk considerably over the years, thanks to illegal tree felling and unplanned construction. In 2008, around 20 shops in the Tibetan market underneath the area collapsed.
"There is a huge water tank under The Ridge and such a huge structure cannot be built here as it could put pressure on the area." Tikender Singh Panwar, former deputy mayor of Shimla and CPI(M) leader, filed an FIR against Home Department officials, the police and the owners of the truck for defying a Himachal Pradesh High Court order that has prohibited vehicular activity at the site, according to The Tribune. Mayor Surender Chauhan, on Friday, visited The Ridge and ordered the removal of “illegal stalls”, saying such structures cannot be built above a major water tank.
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