Helicopter services launched from Sanjauli Heliport to boost connectivity and tourism in Himachal Pradesh.

According to officials, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu marked a major milestone in improving air connectivity and boosting tourism in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday by launching helicopter services from the Sanjauli Heliport in Shimla.

Following its inauguration, daily helicopter flights to the ITBP Helipad at Reckong Peo and Bhuntar Airport in Kullu have started to operate from the Sanjauli Heliport.

Furthermore, Chandigarh and Sanjauli Heliport helicopter services will run three days a week, on Monday, Friday, and Saturday.

The fare is Rs 4,000 per passenger for the Sanjauli Reckong Peo route and Rs 3,500 per passenger for the Sanjauli Kullu route. Each passenger’s price from Sanjauli to Chandigarh is set at Rs 3,169.

Speaking at the event, the chief minister announced that helicopter services would soon start on the Sanjauli Rampur Reckong Peo and Sanjauli Manali (SASE Helipad) routes.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already received proposals for these routes for approval of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” he stated.

Sukhu congratulated the state’s citizens on the start of helicopter services and stated that those involved in the tourism industry will profit immensely from them.

“The long-awaited demand to operate flights from Sanjauli Heliport has finally been met. Both tourists and regular people would benefit from the new services’ quicker, safer, and more convenient connectivity, according to Sukhu.

The chief minister added that the Sanjauli Heliport would be very helpful in medical situations because it was adjacent to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla.

Heliports are being built at each district headquarters and other well-known tourist locations, Sukhu said, highlighting the state government’s emphasis on promoting tourism.

Four heliports in Jaskot (Hamirpur district), Rakkar and Palampur (Kangra district), and Chamba are now under construction; completion is anticipated in March or April. Each heliport is receiving an investment of Rs 15 crore. According to him, “these heliports will encourage high-end tourists to visit Himachal Pradesh more frequently, thereby increasing income and employment opportunities for locals.” Sukhu attacked the previous BJP-led state administration, claiming that it squandered about Rs 1,000 crore on the construction of buildings that are still abandoned.

Additionally, he noted that on September 13, 2017, while the Congress government was in power, the foundation stone for the Sanjauli Heliport was laid. The estimated cost of building the heliport was Rs 15.86 crore.

Although it was officially opened on January 12, 2022, the lack of DGCA clearance prevented operations from starting earlier. On August 7, 2025, permission to operate flights was eventually given as a result of the current state government’s persistent efforts.

“Prior to this, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the DGCA carried out a number of inspections, and the state government appropriately addressed all security-related observations,” Sukhu stated.