The Government of Himachal Pradesh has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alliance Air Ltd. to operate daily flights connecting Delhi, Shimla, and Dharamshala. Announcing the development, Vivek Bhatia, Director of Tourism & Civil Aviation, said the initiative aims to strengthen regional air connectivity and promote tourism by providing convenient access between the national capital and key destinations in the state.
The services will run on an ATR 42-600 aircraft with 48 seats, and commercial operations are expected to begin in the last week of April 2026. Both routes will operate under 100% Viability Gap Funding (VGF), fully supported by the state government as a Grant-in-Aid, with an estimated annual cost of Rs. 32.64 crore. The MoU will remain valid for 12 months from the date operations commence.
Vivek Bhatia highlighted that the agreement will establish a direct air link between Delhi and Shimla while also enhancing intra-state travel between Shimla and Dharamshala, making the state more accessible and further boosting tourism prospects.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
