Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday virtually inaugurated daily helicopter services connecting Mandi, Kullu and Chandigarh from his official residence, Oak Over.
The Mandi–Chandigarh route will operate under the Government of India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN), while the Kullu–Mandi–Chandigarh service will be run by Heritage Aviation Pvt. Ltd. on a non-RCS (market-based) model.
As per the schedule, the helicopter will depart from Kullu at 9:00 a.m., reach Mandi at 9:10 a.m., leave Mandi at 9:15 a.m. and arrive in Chandigarh at 9:45 a.m. On the return journey, it will take off from Chandigarh at 10:00 a.m., land at Mandi at 10:30 a.m., depart again at 10:35 a.m. and reach Kullu at 10:45 a.m.
The services will operate from the newly developed Kangnidhar Heliport in Mandi. Under the RCS-UDAN scheme, the indicative fare for the Mandi–Chandigarh route has been fixed at ₹3,500, while the fare for the Kullu–Mandi–Chandigarh sector is ₹8,500. Equipped with modern passenger facilities and essential operational infrastructure, the Kangnidhar Heliport is expected to emerge as a key aviation hub for the central region of Himachal Pradesh.
Congratulating the people of Mandi and Kullu on the launch of the services, the Chief Minister said the initiative marks another major step towards improving air connectivity in the state’s remote and mountainous regions. He said the helicopter services would significantly cut travel time, strengthen tourism and emergency response, and offer greater convenience to both residents and visitors.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state government is committed to expanding aviation infrastructure by developing additional heliports, improving regional air connectivity and ensuring the effective implementation of the RCS-UDAN scheme in partnership with the Government of India and other stakeholders.
Highlighting the government’s emphasis on tourism, the Chief Minister said heliports are being developed in every district headquarters and at major tourist destinations across the state. He said construction of heliports at Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, and Chamba is nearing completion. These projects are expected to attract more high-value tourists, creating new employment and income opportunities for local communities.
He further said that funds have already been allocated for a heliport at Una, while proposals to develop heliports at Nahan and Solan are under consideration. A heliport at Rangrik in Lahaul-Spiti district is also being developed in collaboration with the Army authorities.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
