Paragliding to resume at Himachal’s Bir-Billing from September 16

Paragliding activities at Bir-Billing will resume from September 16 after a break of two months. A complete ban was imposed on paragliding in July with the onset of the monsoon to avoid mishaps. Official sources said after notifying certain safety guidelines, the district administration will restore flying activities at the world-famous paragliding site.

Following the Baijnath administration's directions, workers were cleaning the take-off point at Billing, which was covered with wild grass. Workers of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department were engaged in the restoration of a 14-km road between Bir and Billing, which was damaged by landslides and uprooting of trees during the rainy season.

Talking to The Tribune, Baijnath SDM Sankalap Gautam said if permitted, solo and tandem flights would be made operational for tourists at Bir-Billing from Tuesday. An average of 200 pilots take off from Billing daily and land at Chogan, the landing site.

Taxi drivers and guides welcomed the decision to resume the paragliding activities.

As paragliding was banned two months ago, most hotels and homestays wore a deserted look. Bir-Billing is arguably Asia’s best paragliding site and ranked among the best in the world.

This cozy village, a centre for eco-tourism, meditation and spiritual studies, is situated away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and other tourist destinations. The valley is located west to Mandi district. Having hosted the Paragliding World Cup in 2024, Bir is referred to as the "Paragliding Capital of India" and is fast-becoming the Mecca for paragliding enthusiasts and adventure sports lovers across the world.

Billing, the take-off point, is situated at 8,000 feet above the sea level and offers a great flight. The landing site is on the southern edge of Bir and is around 4,500 feet from the sea level.