Himachal Pradesh opens for tourists; discounted air fares from Shimla to Dharamshala

Himachal Pradesh faced significant disruptions following the recent severe weather conditions, which blocked numerous roads due to many landslides. Many popular tourist destinations in the state suffered and the tourism industry also took a major hit.

However, Himachal Pradesh authorities have been making all the efforts to swing back in the actions, and are now all set to welcome visitors.

Referring to this, Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation Amit Kashyap has announced that tourists can now travel to destinations such as Kasauli, Chail, Chail, Kinnaur, and Narkanda as the roads leading to these areas have been reopened and are deemed safe for travel. Apart from these, Mcleodganj, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Palampur, Khajjiar, and Chamba are also now accessible to commuters.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also assured that Himachal Pradesh is now safe for tourists, emphasising that roads in a number of places have been restored and are suitable for travel. Despite the recent heavy rainfall disrupting national highways and other roads, the state government has been working diligently to facilitate travel, welcoming tourists back to the state.

Mr Amit Kashyap also mentioned that tourists can take advantage of discounted rates that are offered in many hotels throughout the state during the current season. He highlighted the significance of the tourism sector in the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP), which accounts to 7%, and also provides around 14.42% to both direct and indirect employment in the state.

While heavy monsoon rains did cause some road disruptions, the state government’s swift efforts have now allowed tourists to explore districts like Shimla, Chamba, and Kangra.

Also, Alliance Air offers daily flights from Delhi to Shimla, with further connections to Dharamshala (Kangra Airport at Gaggal). Reports add that the subsidy on the fare for all the seats from Shimla-Dharamshala-Shimla will be borne by the state government, whereas the total fare on the said route has been fixed at INR 3,000.

To further accommodate visitors, Pawan Hans Limited is operating helicopter services under the UDAN scheme from Chandigarh to Shimla, and subsequently from Shimla to Rampur, Kullu, Mandi, and Dharamshala.