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Shimla finally gets air connectivity

The ‘Queen of Hills’ after almost five years got air connectivity with the launch of UDAN, the subsidised regional air…

Shimla finally gets air connectivity

Shimla (PHOTO: Lalit Kumar/SNS)

The ‘Queen of Hills’ after almost five years got air connectivity with the launch of UDAN, the subsidised regional air connectivity scheme of the Central government.

The scheduled flights to Shimla airport had been shut since September 6, 2012 after Kingfisher flights got suspended which was affecting tourism industry in the state.

The launch of flights at Jubbarhatti airport around 22 kms from Shimla will enable flight to and fro Shimla from the national capital.

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Air India subsidiary Alliance Air, which will operate the Delhi-Shimla flight, has put in a one-day fare of Rs 2,036.

The flights will operate five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday departing from Delhi at 6.10 a.m. and arrive in Shimla at 7.25 a.m., soon after which it will take-off for Delhi reaching at 8.45 p.m.

The state government had on numerous occasions chief minister Virbhadra Singh and Himachal Pradesh Tourisim Development Board Vice Chairman Vijay Singh Mankotia had taken up with the Central government as well as Airport Authority of India to make efforts to give priority to start flights to provide connectivity, not only to give boost tourism, but also other needy people of the state.

The airport had been constructed in 1887 after which regular flights were operated by different airlines that included Jagson Airlines, Air Deccan and Kingfisher. The state government had also widened the runway of the airport to meet the requirement of landing of ATR-72.

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