Shimla, July 15: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu in New Delhi on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen air connectivity in the state.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister urged the minister to ensure regular operation of the Delhi-Shimla-Dharamshala and Dharamshala-Shimla-Delhi flight routes, which currently operate only three days a week. He said the irregular schedule was causing inconvenience to tourists and sought improved consistency in services. Sukhu also requested the commencement of night landing facilities at Dharamshala airport.
The Chief Minister apprised Naidu of the current status of the Kangra airport expansion and requested special financial support, considering the high cost of land acquisition. He mentioned that this matter had earlier been raised with the Prime Minister, emphasizing the need for the Civil Aviation Ministry’s assistance. He added that the expansion of the airport would significantly boost development in the region.
Sukhu further proposed the construction of four new heliports to enhance air connectivity and tourism in the state. He also discussed the need to extend the watch hours at Shimla Airport beyond the current 1 PM limit and proposed operating Dornier-type aircraft in Shimla, similar to the model adopted in the northeastern states.
Emphasizing the need to attract more airline operators to Shimla, the Chief Minister called for steps to promote additional air services to the region.
Also present at the meeting were Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Resident Commissioner Sushil Kumar Singla, and senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
