NCC hangar at Kullu airport clears final security inspection

The proposed NCC hangar at Kullu-Manali airport in Bhuntar has cleared a crucial security inspection, bringing it a step closer to becoming operational and marking a significant development for aviation training in Himachal Pradesh.

A team from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Regional Directorate, Chandigarh, carried out the final inspection in the presence of key stakeholders today.

The inspection team was accompanied by Wing Commander Kunal Sharma, Commanding Officer of 1 HP Air Squadron NCC Kullu, the Director of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Bhuntar, representatives of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and officials from the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD), including its Civil and Electrical wings.

According to the inspection report, observations raised during an earlier visit regarding operational readiness and security arrangements had been addressed. The HPPWD carried out the required rectifications, enabling the facility to pass the security review.

The development comes after nearly 15 years of delay due to infrastructure-related hurdles. The hangar was constructed by the state government in 2012, but it remained unused for almost a decade because a taxiway connecting it to the runway had not been built.

Although two two-seater microlight aircraft were allotted to the NCC unit in Kullu in 2018, they never landed at Bhuntar due to the missing connectivity. As a result, NCC cadets from Himachal Pradesh had to travel to centres in Patiala and Pinjore for flying training.

In 2022, the NCC raised the issue with the Airports Authority of India in Delhi. The AAI agreed to construct the required taxi track at an estimated cost of Rs 57 lakh. In 2023, the state government also sanctioned Rs 50 lakh through the Local Area Development Authority (LADA) for repair and maintenance of the hangar, which had deteriorated over time.

In October 2025, an SW 80 Virus microlight aircraft successfully carried out a route reconnaissance and trial landing at the Bhuntar airstrip. The aircraft was piloted by Group Captain A Bhardwaj along with Wing Commander Sharma, demonstrating the airstrip’s suitability for NCC training operations.

With the technical and security inspections complete, the project is awaiting final administrative formalities. The state government has already signed its part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), while the Airports Authority of India is expected to complete the process soon. Some statutory clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are also pending.

Meanwhile, LADA chairman and Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur has agreed to support the facility’s operational expenses for the next two years.