Himachal Pradesh sets up heliports to boost tourism in unexplored regions

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur recently inaugurated a heliport at Rampur in Shimla district.

He added that the government has also taken several initiatives to lure tourists to unexplored areas, and is working toward developing a network of heliports to improve air connectivity in the state.

He further informed that the work at Shimla heliport near Sanjauli bypass road, Baddi in Solan district, and Rampur have been completed already under UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. Reportedly, helicopter service operations will soon start at these sites.

The Chief Minister further added that the heliport at Kangnidhar in Mandi was nearing completion, and that another one is being developed at Manali.

The CM further added that the heli-taxi services on Shimla- Rampur-Shimla route started in TDecember 2021, and that flights were already operating thrice a week. He also stated that the one-way fare per passenger is INR 3275.

The government had recently sent a proposal to extend helicopter services to Chamba and Reckong Peo, he added.

If we go by reports, there are around 64 helipads in the state, whereas 38 new ones are being developed, the Chief Minister added. Flights on Delhi-Shimla-Delhi route were also being restored, he stated.