Himachal High Court orders Shimla painted red to its colonial past
Posted on 02 July, 2006 # ANI

Shimla: Authorities here are literally painting the town red,
restoring the erstwhile summer capital of the British Raj to its
former colonial glory, what with the Himachal Pradesh High Court
giving orders to paint the rooftops of almost all the city's
buildings a bright red.

Set amidst spectacular hills covered in evergreen trees overlooking
snow-capped mountains, Shimla's prominently British colonial
architecture makes the hill-resort almost picture perfect.

However, in recent times, the picturesque town has been losing its
charm as high-rise buildings cram its nooks and corners, slowly
turning the picturesque hill station into a concrete jungle.

In an effort to put an end to this scarring and return the town to
its past glory, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recently passed an
order that all roofs must be painted red or green.

While red is to brighten up the look of the town, the green colour is
to compensate for the loss in greenery.

Residents who have been worried about the city's depleting green
cover and pleased with the High Court order.

"If the court orders, one must obey. Everyone is of this opinion.
This will help Shimla look more beautiful. Otherwise most people pay
a lot of attention to interiors, but they do not bother about the
roofs. This is a good thing. It should be implemented," Diwar Singh,
a resident.

The High Court order has put pressure on both government and private
owners alike. Willingly or reluctantly, people are painting the town
a bright red or a lively green. Most agree it is giving the town a
better look.

"The High Court has ordered that roofs of all Shimla buildings must
be painted red or green. This is a welcome verdict. This will make
Shimla prettier. Tourists to Shimla, would know from a distance that
they are about to reach this heavenly place", said Sohan Lal, Mayor
of Shimla.

During the days of British rule, all buildings in Shimla had red or
green roofs. Situated at a height of 2,130 metres above sea level,
Shimla is renowned the world over for its beauty and over a million
tourists visit the hill resort every year.

-- Asian News International (ANI)


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