The Uttarakhand high court has directed the state government to respond to an application highlighting the threat to Mussoorie's fragile ecology due to unchecked illegal construction.
The court has intervened multiple times to regulate the problem, which is now endangering the survival of the Queen of the Hills.
A recent visit to Mussoorie found construction activity in full swing, with roads, hotels, and cottages being carved out of the fragile hills.
Experts warn that the scale of construction is at odds with the town's geographical limitations, and the growth in population and tourist influx has driven a construction boom in the hill town.
Mussoorie currently has 5,000-6,000 buildings, including an estimated 400-500 hotels, and the exact number of buildings may be even more than that.
The NGT's 2023 order set up a committee to assess the carrying capacity of the town, but many of its recommendations appear to exist only on paper.
Construction activities in Mussoorie are strictly restricted, but unauthorised construction is rampant, and the town's fragile ecology is under strain.
The town's infrastructure is struggling to accommodate the surge in traffic, and the lack of parking facilities is leading to chaos on the roads.
The situation has been exacerbated by heavy rainfall, which triggered landslides and structural damage to houses.
The Uttarakhand government has acknowledged the strain on Mussoorie and has banned new construction in the town, but the affidavit to the NGT has not been filed yet.
