Joint venture deal inked to develop Mandi airport

Shimla: A Joint Venture Agreement for development of Greenfield airport at Nagchala in district Mandi was signed at New Delhi today.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said it will not only improve air connectivity to the hill state but will also boost tourism besides generating employment opportunities to local youth.

The airport will also enable wide bodied aircraft which also includes landing of international flights.

He said that the Greenfield Airport will be developed with a proposed runway of 3150 meters for which land 2840 Bighas has been identified.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has also conducted the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) survey.

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.

Jai Ran also requested for landing of ATR 42-600 in Shimla airport and for flight operations to Shimla -Kullu – Dharamshala under UDAN II as priority. He also requested to extend the Chandigarh-Dharamsala route to Chamba under UDAN II besides extending Shimla-Rampur upto Kinnaur.