In a bid to facilitate the visit of tourists to the hill state, Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday flagged off the Heli-taxi service between Shimla and Chandigarh from Jubbarhatti Airport near here, reducing the distance between the two cities to mere 20 minutes.
The Heli-taxi would start from Shimla at 8 am and would reach Chandigarh at 8.20 am and take-off for Shimla at 9 am, the same day. The price of the ticket is Rs 2,999 per person inclusive of taxes.
Officials said tickets can be purchased from Pawan Hans website www.pawanhans.co.in and also from the special counter at the airport for sale of tickets.
"Providing air connectivity to far-flung areas and popular tourist destinations would boost tourism in the State. In the first phase heli-taxi service would be available for two days in a week-- Monday and Friday between Shimla and Chandigarh," the chief minister said. He said subsequently this service would be started to the other destinations in a phased manner.
Thakur said the state government has taken an initiative by providing its Official Helicopter for this service, adding that with this the inflow of tourists to the State would increase as the heli-taxi would provide effective air connectivity to the tourists between two popular destinations. He said this service was a good mode to attract high end tourists in the State.
The chief minister said for easy accessibility of tourists, the Government would also introduce heli-taxi service between Manali and Rohtang in first phase. In the second phase UDAN scheme of the Union Government would be started to connect exquisite areas of the State. He said that possibility of starting heli-taxi joy rides for Shikari Devi, Dharamshala, Chamba etc. would also be explored.
He said the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has informed that under UDAN-2 three airports of the State were being connected with one each helipad of Mandi, Kullu and Solan and three helipads of Shimla district for heli-taxi service.
The CM also released Coffee Table Book brought out by the State Tourism Department on the occasion. Shimla MP, Virender Kashyap said this service would give boost to tourism activities in the State. Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, Ram Subhag Singh said the heli-taxi service would not only give boost to tourism in the State but also help in creating job opportunities to the local youth.
He said that HPTDC bus service would ply from lift Shimla to Jubberhatti and back on the scheduled flight days.
later, Chief Secretary Vineet Chawdhry inaugurated the ticket counter at Chandigarh airport and also handed over tickets to passengers who were boarding the helicopter to mark the inauguration of the flight from Chandigarh-Shimla. The Indian Air Force extended water canon salute to the Pawan Hans helicopter while landing at Chandigarh. Such felicitations are extended by Indian Air Force on special occasions.