Deadly Skies Over Bir-Billing: How Lax Oversight Is Turning India’s Paragliding Capital into a Danger Zone

Fatal Flights: A rising toll of casualties exposes glaring lapses in regulation and training, as Himachal Pradesh’s premier adventure hub faces renewed scrutiny.

Experts are calling for urgent safety reforms after a series of avoidable tragedies claimed multiple lives — including those of several foreign nationals — in the skies above Bir-Billing, once celebrated as the crown jewel of India’s adventure tourism.

The recent death of 27-year-old Canadian paraglider Megan Elizabeth, who crashed near the Himani Chamunda Temple two days ago, has reignited concerns about the safety and oversight of this high-risk sport. Her death came just days after Austrian pilot Jakob Kremer narrowly survived a crash near Dehnasar, at an altitude of nearly 14,000 feet in Kangra’s remote Chhota Bhangal valley.

Despite repeated warnings and multiple reports — including those by The Tribune — authorities have failed to enforce safety protocols or clamp down on illegal take-offs from unregistered sites. In the absence of a robust regulatory framework, paragliding in Himachal Pradesh’s adventure hub has become increasingly perilous.

Over the past six years, at least 30 people — including nine foreigners — have died in paragliding accidents, most of them in Bir-Billing. Yet, due to limited manpower and technical expertise, the state tourism department’s oversight remains patchy and inadequate.

Experts warn that many pilots fly without valid licenses, proper training, or dual insurance coverage, often venturing out in dangerous weather conditions marked by poor visibility and unstable thermals. This lack of discipline — compounded by the government’s failure to monitor take-off and landing sites — is putting both lives and the state’s reputation as a safe adventure destination at serious risk.

“The government must deploy qualified paragliding inspectors to verify pilot credentials and clear each flight before take-off,” said Anurag Sharma, president of the Bir-Billing Paragliding Association. “Without such checks, these tragedies will keep happening.”

Veteran pilot Gurpreet Dhindsa, who has run a paragliding school in Bir-Billing since 1997, said the problem is also geographical. “The Dhauladhar ranges are unpredictable. Many new pilots, both Indian and foreign, are unfamiliar with the terrain and its rapidly changing weather. Without world-class safety systems, accidents are inevitable,” he cautioned.

As Bir-Billing’s blue skies continue to lure thrill-seekers from around the world, one haunting question remains — how many more lives must be lost before safety truly takes flight?