Flights from Shimla to resume next month

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 15

Flights could finally be resumed from Jubbarhatti airport near here after a span of over four-and-a-half years with the Director General, Civil Aviation, indicating start of two flights daily under the Domestic Summer Schedule from March 26, 2017.

As per the latest schedule issued by the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) for regions with poor connectivity, there is a proposal to start two ATR-42 flights from Shimla from March 26 to October 28, 2017 which is the main tourist season for Himachal. The other cities which will get these special flights during this period include Shillong, Silchar and Srinagar.

The Himachal Tourism and Civil Aviation Department too has signed an agreement with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and Airport Authority of India (AAI) last month to enhance affordable regional connectivity. “We have signed the agreement to enhance regional connectivity and it is hoped that not just Shimla but other towns within the state will also get aerial connectivity,” said V.C. Pharka, Chief Secretary, holding charge of tourism.

All the necessary works at the Jubbarhatti airport, including repair of 300 feet of sunken portion of the runway, providing refueling facility and shifting of mobile towers, had been completed. As such the airport, which has occasional chartered flights, is ready for regular commercial flights.

The issue of resumption of air connectivity to Shimla has been hanging for very long and it is hoped that with the DGCA itself coming out with the new connectivity schedule, flights will be resumed. The Supreme Court had also directed the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide connectivity to Shimla and take whatever steps are required in this regard.

Pharka confirmed that as a signatory to the agreement, the state government will have to extend certain facilities like security and other such concessions to the airline which comes forward to operate on these routes. The endeavour of regional connectivity is also aimed at stabilizing the air fare, which is normally very high.

Shimla Hoteliers Association, too, has been demanding that efforts should be stepped up to resume flights as air connectivity was essential to attract the high end tourists. The need for having flight was being felt even more as efforts to start helli-taxi services also failed. With exorbitant helli-taxi tariff, there were practically no takers. Moreover, the objection by the local army authorities in allowing use of the Annandale Ground for parking the helicopters was another hassle.

With near absence of rail connectivity, the need for good and reliable aerial connectivity is being felt, especially to enable high-end tourism. Gaggal airport at Dharamsala and Bhuntar in Kullu have regular flights but the state capital has still been deprived of the facility.