Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today launched helicopter services from the Sanjauli Heliport in Shimla, marking a significant stride towards enhancing air connectivity and giving a boost to tourism in Himachal Pradesh.
With the commencement of services, daily helicopter flights will operate from Sanjauli to Bhuntar Airport in Kullu and the ITBP Helipad at Reckong Peo throughout the week. Helicopter connectivity between Chandigarh and Sanjauli will also be available three days a week—on Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
The fare for the Sanjauli–Kullu sector has been fixed at Rs. 3,500 per passenger, while passengers travelling on the Sanjauli–Reckong Peo route will pay Rs. 4,000. The fare from Sanjauli to Chandigarh has been set at Rs. 3,169 per passenger.
The Chief Minister said that helicopter services on the Sanjauli–Rampur–Reckong Peo and Sanjauli–Manali (SASE Helipad) routes would be launched shortly. Proposals for these routes have already been forwarded to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for approval of the required Standard Operating Procedures.
Extending greetings to the people of the State, Sukhu said the new helicopter services would substantially benefit the tourism sector. He pointed out that operations from the Sanjauli Heliport had been a long-standing demand and would now offer faster, safer, and more convenient travel options for both tourists and local residents.
Underlining the heliport’s strategic location, the Chief Minister noted that its proximity to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, would prove invaluable during medical emergencies. He reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to tourism promotion, adding that enhanced air connectivity would improve access to major destinations across Himachal Pradesh.
Stressing the focus on infrastructure development, Sukhu said that heliports are being developed at all district headquarters and prominent tourist locations. He added that construction of four heliports—at Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, and Chamba—is underway and expected to be completed by March–April, with an expenditure of Rs. 15 crore per heliport. These projects are expected to attract high-end tourists and create new employment opportunities for local communities.
The Chief Minister said the present State Government is committed to building purposeful infrastructure for the benefit of both residents and visitors, while alleging that the previous BJP Government had spent nearly Rs. 1,000 crore on buildings that remained unused.
It was further informed that the foundation stone of the Sanjauli Heliport was laid on 13 September 2017 during the tenure of the Congress Government. Built at a cost of approximately Rs. 15.86 crore, the heliport was inaugurated on 12 January 2022, but operations could not begin due to the lack of DGCA clearance. Following sustained efforts by the present State Government, operational approval was finally granted on 7 August 2025, after all security-related observations raised by the DGCA and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security were duly addressed.
