Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday flagged off the first regional flight under the ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN)’ scheme between Shimla and Delhi from scenic Jubbarhatti, the tabletop airport located 2,196 metre above sea-level and some 22 km from here.
launching the UDAN regional connectivity scheme that will allow tourists to fly to Shimla from New Delhi for a fare as less as Rs1,900, the Prime Minister also brought the Jubbarhatti airport on air circuit again.
The move is seen as BJP’s attempt to bring the national Capital closer to Himachal both physically and politically ahead of the State Assembly polls slated for this year-end.
Flying high after a series of electoral victories, the Prime Minister, while speaking on the occasion, said after ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’, his Government is now stressing on ‘Sab Uden, Sab Judein’.
Advocating promotion of religious tourism, Modi said aviation companies should take keen interest in Nanded
Sahib, Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib airports as these airports could make their operations more viable.
This could ensure high number of Sikh pilgrims from across the world on these air routes, he said.
Highlighting his Government’s plan to improve air connectivity between tier 2 and tier 3 cities in the country, Modi said tier 2 and 3 cities would be the growth engines of the country in the days to come and the air connectivity between these needed to be strengthened.
He said after 70 years of Independence, the country had 70 airports providing air connectivity to domestic passengers, but his Government had been working on adding 30 new airports in the domestic air circuit soon.
Modi said a number of airstrips had been developed during the Second World War, especially on the border area but had become defunct due to non-utilisation by the Governments.
Congratulating people of Shimla for the re-launch of commercial flights from the Jubbarhatti airport, Modi said air connectivity will boost the tourism sector in the State capital as people prefer Shimla and they were ready to pay for air services.
He said Himachal Pradesh has a vast scope to cash in on tourism due to its natural assets and the new air connectivity on budget air fares would be quite helpful to boost the entire tourism sector in the region.
Flagging off two more flights under UDAN scheme on Kadapa-Hyderabad and Nanded-Hyderabad air-links, Modi said the North-eastern States too, are gifted with the beauty of nature and the Government wished to take tourists to these stations and provide economical air connectivity to every Indian citizen.
later, while addressing a public rally in Shimla, the Prime Minister urged the people of Himachal Pradesh to vote for the BJP, saying they should follow the example of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi from where fresh winds of change are flowing into the hill State.
Without naming Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is facing corruption cases, the Prime Minister said, “He is the only Chief Minister in the country who is spending much of his time with advocates.”
Modi urged the people to vote for the BJP and walk with him “on the path of honesty”.
The term of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly ends on January 7 next year. The elections are likely to be held in November or December.