Centre Halts Shimla and Kullu Airport Expansion

The Union Ministry of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, recently informed the Rajya Sabha that the central government has abandoned plans to expand the runways at Shimla’s Jubbarhatti airport and Kullu’s Bhuntar airport. Responding to a query by MP Harsh Mahajan, the minister cited severe geographical constraints, including challenging topography and limited land availability, as the primary obstacles.

Regarding the modernization of Kangra airport, Mohol noted that while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared an expansion proposal, the project remains pending because the Himachal Pradesh government has yet to transfer the necessary 369.82 acres of land.

Despite these infrastructure hurdles, the region maintains vital air links—Shimla connects to Delhi and Dharamshala, Kangra to Delhi, Jewar, Chandigarh, and Shimla, and Kullu to Amritsar, Delhi, and Jaipur. Furthermore, the government continues to prioritize regional mobility, successfully operationalizing 40 routes in the state under the RCS-UDAN scheme.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.