Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in New Delhi today and sought support for the expansion of Kangra Airport along with special central assistance (grant) for the project. He emphasized the need for speedy resolution of pending issues, highlighting Kangra district’s immense tourism potential and the State Government’s ambitious initiatives to attract a larger number of tourists.
The Chief Minister requested the introduction of special visual flight rules to reduce the minimum visibility requirement from 5 km to 2.5 km, enabling flight operations under low-visibility conditions.
He also proposed handing over Kullu and Shimla airports to State Police instead of CISF, citing lower flight operations and passenger traffic, which would help reduce the State’s financial burden. Additionally, he urged for extension of flight operation hours at Shimla Airport up to 4 PM and an increase in the frequency of Chandigarh–Shimla–Chandigarh flights. He further requested the earliest approval for four proposed heliports in the State.
Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu directed officers to convene a joint meeting with the concerned authorities and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the expansion of Kangra Airport. He assured full support to the State Government for the initiatives.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
