Shimla Flight Services May Resume Soon as Himachal Pradesh High Court Pushes Centre for Action

In a major development for Himachal Pradesh’s tourism and aviation sector, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has raised serious concerns over the continued suspension of flight services to Shimla and directed the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to submit a clear roadmap for restoring air connectivity to the state capital.

The court asked the ministry to file a detailed affidavit explaining when regular flights to Shimla would restart under the Modified UDAN Scheme-2026, along with the financial and operational plans involved.

Shimla Still Without Air Connectivity Under UDAN Scheme

During the hearing, the Division Bench comprising Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Bipin Chander Negi observed that the earlier UDAN scheme expired in October 2025, after which no commercial flights have operated on the Shimla route.

The Bench highlighted that Shimla remains the only state capital in India not connected under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), while all other capitals have already been linked through the government-backed aviation network.

The court expressed concern that despite heavy public investment, air services remain non-operational, affecting tourism, business travel, and regional development in the hill state.

Alliance Air Likely to Restart Shimla Flights From May 21

Appearing before the court through video conferencing, Samir Kumar Sinha informed the Bench that a shortage of smaller aircraft, including ATR-42, ATR-72, and Q400 planes, had delayed flight operations.

However, he assured the court that the matter was being reviewed and stated that Alliance Air was expected to resume Shimla flight operations from May 21.

The court also reviewed an affidavit submitted by the Himachal Pradesh government, which stated that Alliance Air had earlier indicated services would restart in the first week of May once aircraft became operational.

High Court Questions ₹116 Crore Airport Investment

The Bench took strong note of the underutilisation of Shimla airport despite expenditure of nearly ₹116.70 crore under the Regional Connectivity Scheme.

In a sharp observation, the court remarked that the airport could not be allowed to become “a white elephant standing as a sore thumb lit up in the hills.”

The statement reflects the judiciary’s concern over public funds being spent on infrastructure that remains largely unused.

Centre Asked to Explore Helicopter Services and Other Airlines

The High Court also instructed the Union Government to explore alternative solutions if aircraft shortages continue.

This includes examining whether other airlines can operate flights on the Shimla route and assessing the feasibility of deploying double-engine helicopters with a seating capacity of 20 to 25 passengers between Delhi and Shimla.

Additionally, the court sought information about the use of ATR and Q400 aircraft at other hilly airports such as Pithoragarh and airports in northeastern states to understand how similar routes are functioning elsewhere in the country.

Centre Directed to Submit Detailed Affidavit

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has now been directed to provide complete details regarding:

• Shimla’s inclusion under the Modified UDAN Scheme-2026
• Timeline for restoration of commercial flights
• Viability Gap Funding (VGF) structure
• Financial burden sharing between the Centre and Himachal Pradesh government

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 14, and the Union Civil Aviation Secretary has again been directed to join proceedings through video conferencing.

Read Also : Punjab Kings Reach Dharamsala Ahead of Crucial IPL 2026 Matches, Fans Gather at Airport