CM Sukhu met Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the expansion of air connectivity across Himachal Pradesh.
During the meeting, Sukhu pressed for daily operations of the Delhi-Shimla-Dharamshala and Dharamshala-Shimla-Delhi flight routes, which currently operate only three days a week. He pointed out that limited connectivity is affecting tourism and causing inconvenience to travelers. He also requested the introduction of night landing facilities at Dharamshala airport to improve accessibility.
CM Sukhu reviewed the status of the Kangra airport expansion and requested special financial assistance for land acquisition, citing high associated costs. He noted that the matter had also been discussed with the Prime Minister earlier and urged the Ministry to continue supporting the project, which he said would significantly contribute to the region’s economic growth.
In a push to strengthen intra-state air connectivity, the Chief Minister proposed the construction of four new heliports and also emphasized the need to extend operational hours at Shimla airport beyond 1 p.m. Additionally, he recommended the introduction of Dornier aircraft services on the lines of those in the northeastern states and called for encouraging more operators to begin services to Shimla.
Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Resident Commissioner Sushil Kumar Singla, and senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation also attended the meeting.
