SHIMLA’S TABLETOP AIRPORT IS RISKIEST: EXPERTS

— Himachal Pradesh state capital’s airport at Jubbarhatti — located 2,196 metres above the sea level — is one of country’s ‘riskiest’ tabletop airport like Kozhikode and needs timely expansion, aviation experts said on Saturday.

On an average, 12 to 15 unscheduled domestic flights arrive every month at the Shimla airport, officials said. Also a heli-taxi service is operated from here regularly under the Udan-II (Ude Desh

Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.

State officials said that they have raised the issue with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) a number of times to explore the possibility of expansion of the airstrip at Jubbarhatti, some 22km from here, to facilitate safe landings of aircraft.

At present, the runway is less than 1,200-metre long and its expansion is facing abnormal delays owing to nearby forest area and private land.

For the runway extension, the minimum required length is 1,500 metres which enables a 40-seater aircraft to operate as per the new safety norms, a state civil aviation official said, requesting anonymity.

In 2015, national carrier Air India’s subsidiary Alliance Air conducted a test-flight to restart regular service between New Delhi and Shimla. The trial run of a 42-seat plane was successful. Officials said landing aircraft at the Shimla airport is a challenge because of the gorges surrounding the runway. Likewise, the airstrip in Kullu town runs parallel to the Beas river. —