However, amidst the political chaos, the cry of Shimla’s inhabitants for the preservation of the city’s charm, beauty, and natural grandeur has been ignored. Over the years, Shimla has been transformed into a concrete jungle, with its age-old natural greenery replaced by walls and tiles. The famous and green Daulat Singh Park on the historic Ridge Maidan has been stripped of its beautiful bushes and flowers, leaving the visitors disappointed.

The retention policy has been introduced several times by different governments to regularize the unauthorized and illegal structures raised by the habitual offenders in the town. Even the Green Tribunal took notice of it, but the then government went one step further by contesting the decision of the Green Tribunal in the Apex Court.

It is high time that the people of Shimla come together and vote for those who can promise to save the fast-deteriorating beauty, environs, and ecology of the city. It is not just for those who rule it but also for all those who live there. Shimla needs governance that takes care of the city’s beauty and charm while promoting socio-economic development.

The upcoming Municipal Corporation elections should be a wake-up call for both the ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP. They should understand that the people of Shimla deserve better and that they need to work towards preserving the city’s natural beauty and charm. It is time to put aside political differences and work towards a common goal of preserving Shimla’s natural grandeur for future generations. Only then will the cry of Shimla be heard and acted upon, and the city’s true potential can be realized.