Shimla: In a major boost to air connectivity under UDDAN, helicopter services were formally inaugurated from the newly developed Sanjauli Heliport in Shimla on Wednesday, allowing tourists and locals to fly directly from the city without having to travel to Jubbarhatti.
With the launch of the service, daily helicopter flights have started from Sanjauli to Bhuntar airport in Kullu and to the ITBP helipad at Reckong Peo in Kinnaur.
In addition, helicopter services between Chandigarh and Sanjauli will operate three days a week—on Monday, Friday and Saturday.
The government has fixed the fare at Rs 3,500 per passenger for the Sanjauli–Kullu route, Rs 4,000 for Sanjauli–Reckong Peo, and Rs 3,169 for Sanjauli–Chandigarh.
The Chief Minister said that helicopter services on the Sanjauli–Rampur–Reckong Peo and Sanjauli–Manali (SASE helipad) routes would also be started soon.
Proposals for these routes have already been sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for approval of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Congratulating the people of the state, Sukhu said the launch of services from Sanjauli had been a long-pending demand and its fulfillment would greatly benefit the tourism sector.
“These flights will provide faster, safer and more convenient connectivity for tourists as well as the general public,” he said.
Highlighting the strategic location of the heliport, the Chief Minister said its proximity to IGMC Hospital would prove extremely useful during medical emergencies.
He reiterated that the state government was continuously working to strengthen air connectivity and promote tourism, as Himachal Pradesh is globally known as a major tourist destination.
Sukhu further said heliports were being constructed at every district headquarters and major tourist destinations.
Four new heliports are coming up at Jaskot in Hamirpur, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra, and Chamba, each at a cost of about Rs 15 crore, and are expected to be completed by March-April.
These facilities, he said, would attract high-end tourists and generate income and employment for local residents.
Taking a dig at the previous BJP government, the Chief Minister alleged that nearly Rs 1,000 crore was wasted on constructing buildings that remained unutilized.
It was informed that the foundation stone of the Sanjauli Heliport was laid on September 13, 2017, during the Congress regime.
Built at a cost of around Rs 15.86 crore, the heliport was inaugurated on January 12, 2022, but operations were delayed due to the lack of DGCA clearance. Following sustained efforts by the present government, permission to operate flights was finally granted on August 7, 2025.
