Will remain unavailable in Shimla for several days; reviews rain damage and disaster relief before departure
TNR News Network
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is set to travel to London later this week to accompany his elder daughter for her college admission, a media house said citing sources close to the Chief Minister’s Office.
Sukhu left for Delhi from Shimla on Wednesday (September 17, 2025) afternoon and is expected to fly to the UK from there.
According to officials, CM Sukhu will remain unavailable in the state capital for the next four-five days as he oversees admission formalities for his daughter, who is heading to London for higher education. The Chief Minister is likely to return immediately after the process is complete.
CM holds disaster review meeting before departure
Before leaving for Delhi, the Chief Minister chaired a high-level virtual meeting with deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) of all districts to assess the damage caused by recent heavy rainfall across Himachal. The meeting, held at the State Secretariat in Shimla, focused on ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.
The CM directed officials to remain on high alert, ensure timely evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas and personally monitor relief efforts on the ground.
417 deaths, Rs 4,582 crore losses this monsoon
Reviewing the grim monsoon toll, CM Sukhu said the state has received 136 per cent more rainfall in September and 45 per cent above normal for the entire monsoon season. Since the beginning of the season, 417 people have lost their lives, 45 are missing and property damage has exceeded Rs 4,582 crore.
Among the damages, 1,502 houses have been fully destroyed, 6,467 partially while 6,316 cowsheds and 594 shops were damaged.
The CM instructed the Public Works Department to prioritise restoring road connectivity, particularly in apple-growing regions, to prevent post-harvest losses. He also directed HPMC to deploy additional transport vehicles for apple procurement.
CM Sukhu reiterated that public safety remains the government’s top priority and assured continued financial support to disaster-hit families. As part of the special relief package, homeless families in urban areas are being provided Rs 10,000 per month as rent assistance while those in rural areas are getting Rs 5,000 per month.
The disaster review meeting was attended by Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Hardeep Singh Baba, Principal Adviser (IT and Innovation) Gokul Butail, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) KK Pant, CM’s Secretary Rakesh Kanwar and ADGP Satwant Atwal Trivedi.
