Dhalli helipad may revive heli taxis

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 28

The coming up of a helipad near Dhalli on the outskirts of the town here could pave the way for re-starting the heli-taxi services which could give a major boost to high-end tourism in the state.

The case for seeking forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest has already been submitted for developing the 0.77 hectare chunk of land as a helipad. However, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has now sought the mandatory no objection certificate (NOC) from the Forest Rights Committee of the concerned Gram Panchayat.

The Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation has chalked out a plan to develop all basic facilities at this helipad which would help promote high end tourism. Besides having a VIP lounge, some other facilities like a hanger for parking the helicopters, a mandatory facility for starting helli-taxi services, will be there.

The absence of air connectivity from Shimla for the last over three years has greatly impacted high-end tourism. Moreover, even if flights are resumed from Shimla, the airport is located at Jubbarhatti, which is almost an hour’s drive from here. As such the setting up of a helipad will help landing of chartered flights for the high-end tourist.

“We want to give a second try to heli-taxi services which could not take off earlier due to the absence of a permanent place for the choppers,” admitted a senior official. He added that in case the helipad comes up near Dhalli, a separate area will be earmarked for the choppers of the various airline operators.

It was in November 2010 that the state government had launched heli-taxi services with three airline operators- Simm Samm Airways Pvt Ltd, Mesco Airlines and Shiva Helli Services. However the initiative did not take off and there were practically no takers for the service. The efforts of the state government to seek 75 per cent viability gap funding from the Planning Commission did not fructify.

Another major hitch was the problem being faced with the Defence Forces in stationing the choppers at Annandale Ground, which is under Army control. Now with the coming up of the helipad near Dhalli, this problem would be solved. The Tourism Department has identified 57 helipads all over the state, which will finally be linked by heli taxi service. To begin with the department intends start flights connecting Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Kullu-Manali, Dharamsala, Chamba and tribal areas of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.