Close shave for Dy CM as plane overshoots runway at Shimla airport

A major mishap was averted when an Alliance Air 42-seater aircraft, carrying Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and over 30 passengers, landed using the emergency brakes to prevent the plane from overshooting the runway at the Jubbarhatti airport, 22 km from here, today.

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“We were on the flight from Delhi to Shimla when there was some glitch, resulting in the use of the emergency brakes to land. Landing was not up to the mark and there was some problem as there was sudden application of the brakes to prevent the plane from overshooting the runway,” said Agnihotri.

“We all are aware that the Jubbarhatti airport near here has a small runway. The plane landed almost close to where the runway ends and crossed the studs — the last point on the runway,” said Agnihotri.

Over 30 passengers were on board

DGP Atul Verma was also on the Delhi-Shimla flight, which landed at 8.22 am

There were over 30 passengers, who were allowed to de-board only after 8.40 am

Confirming the emergency landing, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said he learnt from the police that the Delhi-Shimla fight made an emergency landing at the Jubbarhatti airport this morning. “I was told that the emergency brakes had to be applied for landing as the tyre of the plane burst during landing,” said Sukhu.

Director General of Police Atul Verma was on the Delhi-Shimla flight which landed at 8.22 am. The passengers were allowed to de-board only after 8.40 am. There were over 30 passengers on the plane.

Agnihotri said the same plane was scheduled to fly to Dharamsala for a return flight to Shimla, but was grounded. “Due to the glitch, the plane was grounded, resulting in the Dharamsala-Shimla flight being cancelled, forcing many MLAs to take the road journey to reach the state capital for the Assembly session,” he said.

“Since the DGP was also on board when the unusual landing took place, I’m sure he has taken it up with the Director General of Civil Aviation,” Agnihotri said when asked if the state government had taken up the issue with the Department of Civil Aviation.

The Shimla airport was made by flattening a mountain top and has a runway of 1,230 metres. It is located at an altitude of 2,196 metres. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the plane had been grounded to ensure proper inspection.