Rs 460 crore released for Kangra airport expansion

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said Rs 460 crore has been disbursed to beneficiaries for land acquisition for the expansion of Kangra airport, while another Rs 1,899 crore is ready to be released.

Reviewing ongoing tourism department projects, the Chief Minister said the expansion of Kangra airport is crucial for strengthening the economy of Kangra and neighbouring districts.

“It will go a long way in promoting tourism activities in this region, thereby generating employment and self-employment opportunities for the local youth,” he said. Sukhu added that the upgraded airport would also attract high-end tourists to the area.

He also reviewed the progress of heliport projects across Himachal Pradesh and directed that construction work be completed soon. Sukhu said operational authorisation has been received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the Sanjauli and Rampur Bushair heliports, and operations would begin after completing the remaining codal formalities.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the ongoing construction of heliports at Kagnidhdar in Mandi district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, Sultanpur in Kullu district, Reckongpeo in Kinnaur district, and Jaskot in Hamirpur district. He instructed officials to ensure completion of these projects by next year.

Sukhu directed the tourism department to identify and operationalise new helicopter routes to make travel easier for tourists. Emphasising the importance of tourism to the state’s economy, he said the government is giving major impetus to tourism development.

He also reviewed the construction work of the Auhar tourist complex in Bilaspur district, where 46 per cent of the work has been completed, and instructed officials to expedite it.

Reviewing projects funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Chief Minister urged officials to accelerate their completion to boost tourism infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.

(With inputs from agencies)