Chandigarh admin moots plans for expansion of heritage centre, to discuss plans with IAF

Over 5,800 visited till now

With the experience of simulators being a hit, the recently-opened heritage centre has seen over 5,800 visitors since the day of opening till Monday. The country’s first air force heritage centre was opened for the general public on May 9 by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The installation of immersive simulators has received great response so far with over 1,175 people experiencing them, Director Tourism Rohit Gupta told The Indian Express on Monday. A lot of people have booked their tickets for the coming week as well.

The 200-second virtual reality experience is one of the highlights at the centre. A MiG-29 aircraft of the Indian Air Force gradually takes to the skies from the Chabua air base in the northeast and speeds towards a Chinese airbase. A little while after lifting off, the bombardment at the Chinese airbase begins. This is just one of the many scenes that has been presented in the heritage centre.

A souvenir shop equipped with the IAF’s memorial and scale models has also been set up. A theme-based cafe is also operational for the public. A one-foot wall with pictures of 58 vintage and retired aircraft has also been set up.

While the entry tickets for adults have been priced at Rs 50, for children, they are free. For the immersive experience with the simulators, there are three slots of 25 people each at 10 am, 12 noon and 3 pm, subject to prior booking, said the officials. “The simulator experience costs Rs 295 for both children and adults. Tickets are available on the Chandigarh tourism app and at the counters. The centre is open from 10 am to 6 pm,” said an official.