Thakur thanks PM for nod to Mandi airport

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 24

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has thanked the Prime Minister and the Union Government for giving in-principle approval for construction of an international standard airport in Mandi district and also for expansion of Shimla, Kangra and Kullu airports.

The Chief Minister said that expenditure of expansion of Shimla and Kangra airports would be borne by Union Civil Aviation Ministry and a team of Airport Authority of India would visit Kullu-Manali airport to conduct a survey for its expansion. He said that this would open new vistas of tourism development activities in the State.

Thakur also thanked the Union Government for according in-principle approval for bearing construction and operational cost of six proposed heliports in the state by the Ministry of Civil Aviation under UDAN-II.

The decisions were taken in a meeting held today under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Civil Aviation (Independent charge), Government of India Hardeep Singh Puri, which was also attended by Chief Secretary Dr Shrikant Baldi through video conferencing.

He said under UDAN-2 scheme, in-principle approval has also been given for bearing construction and operational cost of six proposed heliports in the state by Ministry of Civil Aviation. Apart from this, present services under UDAN-1 will be continued as per schedule.