The much awaited air flight between Shimla – Amritsar and Amritsar – Shimla will start from November 16. The flight operated by Alliance Airlines is being run under Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme and would run three times a week i.e. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The flight would take off from Jubbarhatti Airport (Shimla) at 8.10 am and would land at Punjab International Airport Amritsar at 9.10 am. The return flight from Amritsar would take off at 9.35 am and would reach Shimla at 10.35 am.
The air service between Amritsar and Shimla is likely to improve tourist flow to Himachal Pradesh and would provide facilities to visit historical Gurudwara at Amritsar.
The hoteliers association and people associated with the tourism industry have been demanding to increase air connectivity in the state to promote tourism. There is also a proposal to start a flight between Kullu and Amritsar
The Central government is giving fifty percent subsidy in air fare for the flights operated under the UDAN scheme to facilitate common people to travel by air. The one way airfare for Shimla – Amritsar would be Rs 1919.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “Air connectivity with Amritsar international airport would prove helpful in reaching several domestic and international destinations and would increase tourist footfall to Himachal Pradesh, besides providing facilities to visit the historical Gurudwara of Amirtsar.”
