Himachal Cabinet Approves Land Acquisition for Shitalpur ("Him-Chandigarh") Township Near Baddi

What Was Decided

The Himachal Pradesh Council of Ministers gave its nod to the development of a new world-class township near Chandigarh, approving the acquisition of around 3,000 bigha of land at Shitalpur in the Baddi area of Solan district, in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan told the media that the land would be acquired by HIMUDA for the proposed township.

The Chief Minister said a Cabinet sub-committee had been constituted earlier to explore the feasibility of developing the township, and its report was approved by the full Cabinet at this meeting. Subsequent reporting on the same Cabinet decision has cited a larger figure: the Cabinet gave its nod to acquire 3,400 bighas of land at Shitalpur near Baddi for setting up a modern city on the lines of New Chandigarh. The Chief Minister stated that three panchayats have agreed to provide land for the project through land pooling, and that the Cabinet approved the transfer of 3,400 bighas of land to the housing department.

Land Details: Area, Ownership and Boundaries

Of the identified land, around 1,500 bigha is government-owned, while the remainder falls under private ownership and will be procured after completing statutory procedures. According to villagers, in the first phase government land is being acquired, while private land would be acquired in a subsequent phase.

The township would be spread across three patwar circles — Baddi, Sandholi and Bhud — with both private and government land covered under the initial proposal. Only government land is being acquired initially within these patwar circles.

HIMUDA will set up this township after acquiring land, and a drone survey has already been initiated; a later Tribune report on a public hearing states the drone survey for the project has been completed.

Site Rationale and Naming

Minister Chauhan emphasised that Shitalpur's strategic location on the Himachal–Chandigarh border offers significant development potential, and clarified that the project is not a replacement for existing HIMUDA housing schemes in the area. "Balanced development" and "minimal livelihood disruption" have been projected by the government as the guiding principles for the project.

Chief Minister Sukhu has stated that the proposed world-class township at Shitalpur, near the Chandigarh border, will be named 'Him-Chandigarh'. He added that more land would be acquired over the next six months and that consultants would be appointed soon to ensure world-class facilities in the township.

Related Cabinet Action: RERA Rule-3 Amendment

At the same session, the Cabinet cleared changes affecting the state's real-estate regulator. The Cabinet green-lit amendments to Rule-3 of the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017 — a step the government says will enhance transparency and accelerate dispute resolution in the real estate sector.

Subsequent notification detail on this rule change shows it concerns fee structure, not the separate RERA chairperson-selection bill debated in the Assembly around the same period. The amended rules, notified by the urban development department, came into force on publication in the state gazette, carried out under Section 84 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, through the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Amendment Rules, 2025. Under the new framework, separate and significantly higher fee slabs have been prescribed for rural and urban areas, replacing the earlier uniform and lower rates. As per the amended Rule 3, promoters must now deposit the revised registration fee either through demand draft or online mode at the time of project registration.

Other Sites Under Consideration

Land has been marked at five different sites across the state for future townships, and a separate proposal near the Morni Hills region remains under serious consideration. No cabinet approval for Morni Hills has been reported as of this record's compilation date.

Implementation Since the Decision: Consultation and Opposition

The move to set up the township — Him Chandigarh — on the outskirts of Baddi has drawn stiff opposition from affected farmers, who took out a protest march at Baddi. Farmers converged at Baddi and handed a memorandum to the SDM opposing acquisition of arable land they have tilled for generations.

A statutory public hearing followed. Farmers vented their anger against the land acquisition at a public hearing held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Solan. Hundreds of farmers from Shitalpur, Malpur and Kishanpura registered their resentment against the project. The Deputy Commissioner presided over the hearing, where farmers said they were not against development but would not give up arable and forest land that is the mainstay of their animal husbandry and livelihood.

Villagers also cite prior land losses in the same belt: many farmers claim they have already been rendered landless due to acquisition of land for a four-lane highway and railway projects. Residents said they would not permit acquisition of shamlat (common village) land meant for the development of villagers.

Practical Effect

The Cabinet decision authorised HIMUDA to begin the statutory land-acquisition process rather than approving a final master plan, rates, or completion date. More land was expected to be acquired over the following six months, with consultants to be appointed to plan world-class facilities. As of the most recent reporting reviewed, the project remains at the survey, land-pooling and public-consultation stage, with a drone survey and a statutory public hearing completed and continuing local opposition to the acquisition of private and forest land.