12 Jyotirlingas to Come Up in Mandi, Additional Allocation of over Rs 11 Crore: HPTDC Chairman

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) on Wednesday said 12 jyotirlingas will be built at Shiv Dham in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district for which an additional allocation of over Rs 11 crore has been made.

Making the announcement at a press conference here, Raghubir Singh Bali, Chairman, HPTDC said four jyotirlingas (special shrines of Lord Shiv) have been made while work for eight jyotirlingas is ongoing.

Addressing mediapersons, Bali, who is also a Congress MLA, said the previous regime sanctioned about Rs 38 crore for the project and spent Rs 16 crore.

About Rs 22 crore is remaining with the Congress government, Bali said.

The present state government has released an additional amount of over Rs 11 crore for this project, taking the total amount of allocation to over Rs 33 crore, Bali said, adding, "The tenders for the same will be floated soon." He also said that the irregularities were found in the work of the previous contractor due to which the state government handed over the tender of Shiv Dham to a new agency.

"The investigation against the previous contractor is ongoing and further information will be provided only after the completion of the investigation" the MLA said.

He said the HPTDC will renovate its hotels, as part of which Hotel Peter Hoff in Shimla would be renovated in the first phase at an amount of Rs 11 crore and a tender will be floated soon.

Similarly, Rs 5.5 crore will be spent on the renovation of Hotel Holiday Home in Shimla, he added.