With an eye to enhancing tourism in Himachal Pradesh, the state government is set to introduce a new flight route connecting Chandigarh, Kullu, and Dharamsala.

An official spokesperson said here on Friday that discussions were currently underway with airlines and other stakeholders to launch this route, which aims to improve accessibility between two of the State’s major tourist destinations.

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“The direct flight between Kullu and Dharamsala was anticipated to significantly benefit the tourism sector, addressing a longstanding demand from visitors,” he said.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasised the government’s commitment to attracting high-end tourists to the state. “Strengthening air connectivity was crucial to achieving our tourism goals and reducing travel time and costs for tourists is essential,” he said.

Noting that the state was blessed with breathtaking landscapes and has immense potential for tourism, he said systematic development of tourism infrastructure would not only increase tourist footfalls but also bolster the local economy.

The more tourists we attract, the more benefits would accrue to the people of the state, he added.

“Owing to the concerted efforts of the state government, four flight routes were currently operational, linking various tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh with other parts of the country,” he said.

The Delhi-Shimla-Delhi and Shimla-Dharamsala-Shimla routes operate daily, while the Amritsar-Shimla-Amritsar and Amritsar-Kullu-Amritsar routes were operational three days a week. In addition to expanding flight routes, the State Government was also developing new heliports to further improve air connectivity for tourists, he informed.

The Chief Minister further said that Rs. 13 crore has been allocated for the construction of heliports in Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, Chamba, and Rekong Peo in Kinnaur district.

“The hilly terrain of Himachal Pradesh makes the construction of heliports particularly beneficial. These heliports would attract more tourists by saving travel time, and they would also provide assistance to local residents in emergencies, if any,” he said.

The state government was adopting a focused approach to establish these heliports, ensuring that each district headquarters was connected to this facility, he added.

Furthermore, the state government has declared Kangra district as the tourism capital of Himachal Pradesh and is upgrading the necessary tourism infrastructure in the district, stated Sukhu.

“The expansion of Kangra airport was currently underway, with the land acquisition process initiated,” said the Chief Minister, adding that this expansion would reduce travel costs by allowing larger aircraft to land, thereby strengthening the tourism sector in the region and creating new job opportunities for local residents.