Press Release
Press Release from Urban Development Department
Information & Public Relations Department
Urban Development Department Participates in NITI Aayog's Stakeholder Consultation on Hill City Regions Planning Initiative.
The Stakeholder Consultation on the Hill City Regions Planning Initiative (HCRPI) for the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), organised by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the North Eastern Council (NEC), was held at the NEC Secretariat, Shillong, on 13th July 2026. The consultation brought together representatives from the 13 States and Union Territories of the IHR—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam (hill districts), Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal (Darjeeling and Kalimpong region), the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, and the Union Territory of Ladakh, to deliberate on a planning framework for sustainable, resilient and economically vibrant hill city regions through terrain-sensitive, climate-responsive planning guided by ecological carrying capacities.
Ms. Yogeeta Rai, Principal Chief Architect-cum-Secretary, accompanied by Ms. Basundhara Karki, Assistant Town Planner, Urban Development Department, Government of Sikkim, represented the State of Sikkim at the consultation.
The consultation featured addresses and technical presentations by Ms. Anna Roy, Programme Director (Managing Urbanisation), NITI Aayog; Shri Satinder Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, North Eastern Council; Shri Jagan Shah, Urban Expert; Shri Tikender Singh, Former Deputy Mayor, Shimla; Prof. Arup Sarma, IIT Guwahati; and Shri Snehit Prakash, BORDA Asia. A key highlight was the presentation of the HCRPI Pyramid, illustrating how Hill City Regions Planning and Small Cities Planning form the foundation for City Economic Regions, supporting State Vision @2047 and ultimately contributing to Viksit Bharat @2047. The framework promotes eco-sensitive planning, ecological carrying capacity, regional economic development and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the consultation, Ms. Yogeeta Rai highlighted Sikkim's progressive urban planning initiatives, including the Sikkim Strategic Urban Plan, 2008, the Sikkim Town and Country Planning Act, 2024, and the Sikkim State Town and Country Planning Service Recruitment Rules, 2024, under which a dedicated Town and Country Planning Cadre has been established with the appointment of two Assistant Town Planners. She also presented the Strategic Urban Vision Document: SK UD 2047 for Sunaulo ani Samriddh Sikkim, whose implementation is reviewed annually by the State High-Level Committee (SHLC) on Urban Planning chaired by the Chief Secretary. Further, she highlighted the Sikkim Aerial Ropeways Act, 2023, under which the Government of Sikkim is pursuing an aerial ropeway-based public transport system in Gangtok as a sustainable solution to improve urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion and promote low-carbon transport.
The consultation provided an opportunity for participating States and Union Territories to contribute towards the preparation of the Hill City Regions Planning Framework, which will guide regional planning, infrastructure development, governance, financing and climate-resilient urbanisation across the IHR. The Urban Development Department, Government of Sikkim, reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with NITI Aayog, the NEC and other Himalayan States and Union Territories in advancing sustainable, resilient and inclusive urban development in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
The Stakeholder Consultation on the Hill City Regions Planning Initiative (HCRPI) for the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), organised by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the North Eastern Council (NEC), was held at the NEC Secretariat, Shillong, on 13th July 2026. The consultation brought together representatives from the 13 States and Union Territories of the IHR—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam (hill districts), Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal (Darjeeling and Kalimpong region), the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, and the Union Territory of Ladakh, to deliberate on a planning framework for sustainable, resilient and economically vibrant hill city regions through terrain-sensitive, climate-responsive planning guided by ecological carrying capacities.
Ms. Yogeeta Rai, Principal Chief Architect-cum-Secretary, accompanied by Ms. Basundhara Karki, Assistant Town Planner, Urban Development Department, Government of Sikkim, represented the State of Sikkim at the consultation.
The consultation featured addresses and technical presentations by Ms. Anna Roy, Programme Director (Managing Urbanisation), NITI Aayog; Shri Satinder Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, North Eastern Council; Shri Jagan Shah, Urban Expert; Shri Tikender Singh, Former Deputy Mayor, Shimla; Prof. Arup Sarma, IIT Guwahati; and Shri Snehit Prakash, BORDA Asia. A key highlight was the presentation of the HCRPI Pyramid, illustrating how Hill City Regions Planning and Small Cities Planning form the foundation for City Economic Regions, supporting State Vision @2047 and ultimately contributing to Viksit Bharat @2047. The framework promotes eco-sensitive planning, ecological carrying capacity, regional economic development and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During the consultation, Ms. Yogeeta Rai highlighted Sikkim's progressive urban planning initiatives, including the Sikkim Strategic Urban Plan, 2008, the Sikkim Town and Country Planning Act, 2024, and the Sikkim State Town and Country Planning Service Recruitment Rules, 2024, under which a dedicated Town and Country Planning Cadre has been established with the appointment of two Assistant Town Planners. She also presented the Strategic Urban Vision Document: SK UD 2047 for Sunaulo ani Samriddh Sikkim, whose implementation is reviewed annually by the State High-Level Committee (SHLC) on Urban Planning chaired by the Chief Secretary. Further, she highlighted the Sikkim Aerial Ropeways Act, 2023, under which the Government of Sikkim is pursuing an aerial ropeway-based public transport system in Gangtok as a sustainable solution to improve urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion and promote low-carbon transport.
The consultation provided an opportunity for participating States and Union Territories to contribute towards the preparation of the Hill City Regions Planning Framework, which will guide regional planning, infrastructure development, governance, financing and climate-resilient urbanisation across the IHR. The Urban Development Department, Government of Sikkim, reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with NITI Aayog, the NEC and other Himalayan States and Union Territories in advancing sustainable, resilient and inclusive urban development in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
