3 min readShimlaJan 21, 2026 04:53 PM IST
First published on: Jan 21, 2026 at 04:53 PM IST
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Wednesday inaugurated helicopter services from the Sanjauli Heliport in Shimla. With this inauguration, helicopter services between Chandigarh and Sanjauli Heliport will operate three days a week: Monday, Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, daily helicopter services have commenced from Sanjauli Heliport to Bhuntar Airport in Kullu and to the ITBP Helipad at Reckong-Peo throughout the week.
The fare from Sanjauli to Chandigarh has been fixed at Rs 3,169 per passenger. Officials said the helicopter fare on the Sanjauli–Kullu route has been fixed at Rs 3,500 per passenger, while the fare for the Sanjauli–Reckong Peo route has been set at Rs 4,000 per passenger.
The Sanjauli Heliport, located close to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, will be extremely useful during medical emergencies, CM Sukhu said.
Sanjauli is a suburban area around 6 km from Shimla. It is connected to Shimla via two roads, including Circular Road and through the Victory Tunnel. Important tourist destinations like Kufri, Naldehra, and Narkanda are situated ahead of Sanjauli.
The foundation stone of the Sanjauli Heliport was laid on September 13, 2017, during the tenure of the Congress government. The heliport has been constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 15.86 crore. Officials said that although it was inaugurated on January 12, 2022, operations could not begin earlier due to the absence of DGCA clearance.
Owing to the present state government’s persistent efforts, permission to operate flights was finally granted on August 7, 2025. Prior to this, the DGCA and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security conducted several inspections, and the state government duly addressed all security-related observations.
More helicopter services
CM Sukhu said that helicopter services on the Sanjauli-Rampur-Reckong Peo and Sanjauli-Manali (SASE Helipad) routes would also be started soon. Proposals for these routes have already been submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for approval of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Sukhu said that the operation of flights from Sanjauli Heliport had been awaited for a long time and that this long-pending demand had finally been fulfilled. The new services will provide faster, safer and more convenient connectivity for tourists as well as the general public.
He reiterated that the state government was making continuous efforts to promote tourism, as Himachal Pradesh is renowned globally as a major tourist destination. The introduction of helicopter services will not only improve access to key tourist destinations but will also strengthen the overall air connectivity network in the state.
According to information, the construction work on four heliports at Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, and Chamba, which will be completed by March-April, with Rs 15 crore being spent on each heliport. These heliports will encourage high-end tourists to visit Himachal Pradesh more frequently, thereby increasing income and employment opportunities for local people.
On the occasion, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation RS Bali, MLA Neeraj Nayar, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Director Tourism Vivek Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and other senior officers were present.
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagging off helicopter services from Sanjauli Heliport. (Express Photo) 
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