Mandi to soon get greenfield airport, will give impetus to tourism in HP: Jai Ram Thakur

After airports in Shimla, Kullu and Kangra, Himachal Pradesh will soon get a greenfield airport in Mandi, the district from where CM Jai Ram Thakur hails. A joint venture agreement for development of greenfield airport at Nagchala in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Chief Minister Thakur said that the airport will not only improve air connectivity to the state, but will also boost tourism besides generating employment opportunities for local youth. The agreement between the state government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will pave the way for development of the airport in Mandi which is the dream project of Chief Minister Thakur.

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The airport will also enable wide bodied aircraft which also includes landing of international flights, a statement from the HP government said. He said that the Greenfield airport will be developed with a proposed runway of 3,150 metres for which 2,840 bighas of land has been identified.

The Airport Authority of India has also conducted the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) survey, the statement said. Thakur said that according to OLS and LIDAR survey reports, the airport at Mandi is feasible and suitable for round the year operations along with night landing and operation of AB-320 type of aircraft.

Chief Minister also requested for landing of ATR 42-600 at Shimla airport and for flight operations to Shimla -Kullu - Dharamshala under regional connectivity scheme, Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN)-II, as priority area routes.

The Chief Minister further requested to extend Chandigarh-Dharamshala route to Chamba under UDAN II besides extending Shimla-Rampur up to Kinnaur. 

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