Rs 460 cr disbursed for Kangra airport expansion, says Himachal CM Sukhu

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has released Rs 460 crore as land compensation for the expansion of Kangra airport, one of the three key airports in the state. The proposal for the expansion of the airport, though, was initiated in 2013, but received a greater push after Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu announced the plan to make Kangra the tourism capital of the state two years back.

The plan involves the acquisition of the land over 147 hectares of land in 14 villages of Shahpur and Kangra tehsil, 12 km from Dharamshala.

At a review meeting of the tourism projects on Thursday, the CM said land awards amounting to Rs 460 crore have been released and disbursed to the beneficiaries towards land acquisition for the expansion of Kangra airport, while another Rs 1899 crore in awards are ready for disbursement.

“The expansion of Kangra airport is of paramount importance as it will bolster the economy of not only Kangra district but also the adjoining 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.

The CM also reviewed the ongoing plans of setting up heliports across the state and directed to accelerate the construction work. The operational authorisation for Sanjauli and Rampur Bushahr heliports has been received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and directed that those operations should commence soon after completing the remaining codal formalities. The CM reviewed the construction work of other heliports being set up at Kagnidhdar in Mandi district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, Sultanpur in Kullu district, Reckongpeo in Kinnaur district, and Jaskot in Hamirpur district and instructed the officers to complete these projects by next year.

The CM said that better air connectivity for travellers will boost tourism in these areas. He asked for the identification and operationalisation of new helicopter routes to better serve the tourists. Sukhu directed officials to expedite the construction of the Auhar tourist complex in Bilaspur district, as 46 per cent of the work has been completed so far. He also reviewed various tourism projects funded by the ADB and instructed that their construction work be accelerated.

Tourism contributes significantly to Himachal Pradesh’s economy, making up approximately 7% of the state’s GDP. This sector is a key driver of growth, second only to agriculture in its contribution to the state’s Gross Domestic Product. The tourism sector also provides significant employment opportunities, directly and indirectly.