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Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday launched a helicopter service from Sanjauli to Rampur, thereby fulfilling his promise made during his visit to Rampur. The service, launched under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN), will operate three days a week under the Heli-HOP Himachal Helicopter Service.
Under the schedule, the helicopter will take off from Sanjauli at 9:55 AM and reach Rampur at 10:30 AM. It will then depart from Rampur for Reckong Peo at 10:50 AM, reaching there at 11:25 AM. The return flight from Reckong Peo will take off at 11:30 AM and reach Rampur at 12:05 PM. The helicopter will then depart from Rampur for Sanjauli at 12:10 PM and arrive at 12:45 PM. The service will operate every Monday, Friday and Saturday. The Chief Minister also announced that helicopter services to Hamirpur, Chamba and Palampur would be started within the next four months. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the initiative was not merely a means of travelling from one place to another, but also a symbol of changing times, new thinking and immense development opportunities in the hill state. It would reduce travel time, give a boost to tourism, promote local businesses and create new employment opportunities. He said that efforts were underway to identify suitable land in Shimla to strengthen air connectivity and expand air services. The Chief Minister said that the state government had set a target of connecting every corner of Himachal through helicopter services. The government was working with determination to provide people with convenient, accessible and reliable connectivity. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government was bearing the entire cost of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for these flights. The government was spending approximately Rs. 35.70 lakh per month on the service. He added that work was also underway to construct and develop a total of 16 heliports across the state, including at all district headquarters, to further expand air transport facilities. The Chief Minister said that the state government was also making sustained efforts to expand Kangra's Gaggal Airport. The government had disbursed Rs. 2,400 crores from its own resources to people towards land acquisition. He said that after the expansion of the airport, efforts would be made to connect all district headquarters through helicopter services. This would promote tourism and help create new employment opportunities for local youth. He said that the vision of the present state government is clear: to connect remote areas of Himachal Pradesh with better transport facilities, save people's time and ensure that development opportunities reach every region. MLA Harish Janartha, Municipal Corporation Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan, Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Chairman HIMCON Vikesh Chauhan, Chairman Kailash Federation Baldev Thakur, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh, Special Secretary (Tourism) Vijay Kumar, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sachin Kanwal, councillors, officials of Pawan Hans Limited and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)
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