Himachal Pradesh Takes Off: Boosting Tourism with New Air Routes

The Himachal Pradesh government signed an MoU with Alliance Air to launch daily flights on Delhi-Shimla and Shimla-Dharamshala routes, aimed at enhancing tourism and air connectivity. Utilizing ATR 42-600 aircraft, services are expected by April 2026, with the state covering the Viability Gap Funding costs.

The Himachal Pradesh government has initiated a new venture in regional air travel by entering a Memorandum of Understanding with Alliance Air. The deal facilitates daily flights connecting Delhi to Shimla and Shimla to Dharamshala, aiming to improve tourism and regional connectivity.

The Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Vivek Bhatia, shared that flights will be operated using 48-seater ATR 42-600 aircraft. Services are anticipated to launch by April 2026, following the signing of the agreement.

The operation will run on a 100% Viability Gap Funding framework, with the state bearing the entire cost as a grant-in-aid to Alliance Air. The financial outlay is estimated at Rs 32.64 crore annually based on actual billing, with the MoU valid until a year after operations commence.

(With inputs from agencies.)