UOI admits before HC flights to Shimla were suspended due to non-availability of aircraft
Shimla, May 22
The Union of India on Thursday informed the Himachal Pradesh High Court that air services on the Delhi–Shimla route were suspended due to the non-availability of ATR aircraft and operational limitations at Jubbarhatti Airport, and not because of any negligence on the part of the Centre.
The submission was made before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi during the hearing of an ongoing public interest litigation concerning air connectivity in Himachal Pradesh.
Appearing for the Centre, Deputy Solicitor General of India Balram Sharma stated that Shimla Airport is a hilly airport with limited infrastructure where only small aircraft such as ATR-42 and Dornier-228 could operate. He informed the court that there is no scope for runway expansion at Jubbarhatti Airport due to terrain constraints and limited operational capacity.
The Centre further submitted that one ATR aircraft has now been re-routed to the Delhi–Shimla sector from May 11, 2026, restoring the suspended service after nearly seven months. According to the Union Government, the earlier suspension occurred because the booking cycle had expired and suitable ATR aircraft were unavailable.
The High Court had recently pulled up the Modi Government over poor air connectivity to the state capital and observed that Shimla was facing “step-motherly treatment” under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN). The Bench had questioned why the only hill state capital remained without dependable air connectivity despite tourism being the backbone of Himachal Pradesh’s economy.
During the latest hearing, the court directed the Union Government to ensure that Shimla’s air connectivity is not disrupted again in future and asked it to file an affidavit detailing long-term arrangements before the next hearing.
The Bench also sought clarification on when the revised flight plan would be implemented and examined the feasibility of introducing twin-engine helicopter services between Chandigarh and Shimla. The Centre informed the court that such services are under consideration.
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At present, Pawan Hans operates a single-engine helicopter service carrying only four to six passengers three times a week, which the court observed was inadequate for the state’s needs. The Bench remarked that twin-engine helicopters could provide improved passenger and cargo capacity and asked the state government to explore whether such services could operate from locations closer to Shimla city or Sanjauli instead of Jubbarhatti, which is around 35 km away from the capital.
The matter assumes significance as flight operations between Delhi and Shimla have witnessed repeated disruptions over the past several years, largely due to aircraft limitations, weather conditions and commercial viability concerns.
The case, originally initiated over bird menace near Kangra Airport, was later expanded by the High Court to examine the larger issue of air connectivity across Himachal Pradesh.
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