Shimla: Air traffic between Shimla and Delhi resumed on Monday after a gap of almost two years. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur virtually launched regular flights by flagging off the new ATR-42-600 aircraft of Alliance Air from Shimla Airport at Jubbarhatti Monday morning.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General VK Singh also participated in the program through a virtual medium from Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that due to technical reasons, flights were not able to operate at Shimla airport for almost two years. The CM said that Alliance Air flights between Shimla and Delhi would now be operated seven days a week.
Also read: Railways' plan to bump up speed of Kalka-Shimla toy train on backburner, say sources
"This would go a long way in boosting the tourism activities in the state," he added. The Chief Minister said that ATR-42-600 aircraft of Alliance Air will carry 48 passengers from Delhi to Shimla, whereas the maximum strength of passengers from Shimla to Delhi flight would be 24. He said that 50 percent of the seats on these flights would have a subsidized fare of Rs 2480 only, under the ‘UDAN’ scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The fare for other seats would be determined by the company itself, added the Chief Minister. It is worth mentioning that PM Narendra Modi started the Delhi-Shimla flight service in 2017. At that time, it was a weekly operation. But due to technical reasons, the service had to be stopped. However, now it has been resumed and will see daily flights on the route.
Flight 91821 will depart from Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi at 7.10 am and will reach Shimla at 8.20 am. In return flight 91822 will leave Shimla at 8.50 am and reach Delhi at 10 am.
