Helicopter service a boost to Kullu tourism industry

Abhinav Vashisht

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The Pawan Hans helicopter service has provided an alternative mode of affordable air travel to Shimla and Chandigarh from Kullu. It has come as a respite from hefty fares being charged by Air India for its flights from Kullu to Chandigarh and Delhi. The helicopter service has boosted the tourism industry of the region by providing affordable air connectivity.

National carrier Air India operates daily flights between Kullu and Chandigarh except on Sundays. Usually, the one-way ticket of an Air India flight to Chandigarh ranges between Rs 5,000 and Rs 18,000. Pawan Hans facilitates travel from Shimla to Kullu or the return journey for Rs 3,200. The fare between Shimla and Chandigarh is Rs 2,880. The total cost of the flight from Kullu to Chandigarh is Rs 6,080 and this cheaper option is benefiting travellers.

A foreign passenger, Stephen, said that while the Kullu to Delhi direct flight of Air India was costing over Rs 23,580, he was able to fly to Chandigarh for only Rs 6,080 and he got a flight to Delhi from Chandigarh for around Rs 2,315 — the total cost of the journey was Rs 8,395.

The helicopter service was started on May 13 this year and a large number of passengers have taken flights from Kullu. Pawan Hans is operating helicopters between Chandigarh and Shimla for six days a week, and from Shimla to Kullu on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Due to load stipulation, the helicopter only carries eight passengers and only 10 kg of luggage is permitted.

The flights are from Chandigarh, Shimla and Kullu and return through the same route on three days a week. The flight departs from Chandigarh at 10.05 am and arrives at Shimla at 10.30 am. It departs from Shimla at 10:50 am and arrives at the Kullu airport at 11.40 am and the flight back to Shimla leaves at noon and reaches there at 12.50 pm. It departs from Shimla at 1.15 pm and arrives at Chandigarh at 1.45 pm.

The helicopters are being operated under the UDAN 2 (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme at cheap fares. During the inaugural Air India flight to Chandigarh, the then Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha had stated that the Kullu-Chandigarh sector would be included in the second version of the UDAN scheme and the fares would be reduced further but Air India was still charging hefty fares for the-40 minute flight.

Travel agents in the valley say that the Pawan Hans helicopter service under the UDAN scheme has boosted the tourism industry. Passengers now have an alternative mode of affordable air travel.