Shimla: Helicopter services between Sanjauli and Rampur in Shimla district will commence on October 21, 2026, with the service also connecting Rampur with Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district, a state government spokesperson said on Monday.
The service will operate three days a week—Monday, Friday and Saturday—providing an alternative mode of transport for residents of remote and difficult-to-access areas of Himachal Pradesh.
According to the schedule released by the government, the helicopter will depart from Sanjauli at 9:55 am and arrive in Rampur at 10:30 am. It will then leave Rampur for Reckong Peo at 10:50 am, reaching its destination at 11:25 am.
On the return journey, the helicopter will depart from Reckong Peo at 11:30 am and arrive in Rampur at 12:05 pm. The flight from Rampur to Sanjauli will take off at 12:10 pm and reach Sanjauli at 12:45 pm.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening air connectivity and providing more convenient travel options to people living in remote and inaccessible parts of the state.
The spokesperson said Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced the service after interacting with residents during his visit to the Rampur area. During the visit, he understood the transportation challenges faced by people in far-flung areas and recognised the need for better connectivity.
Following the Chief Minister’s directions, Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) was requested to commence helicopter operations on the Shimla-Rampur route under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN.
The spokesperson said the new service would help ease travel difficulties for residents of Rampur by providing an alternative means of reaching Shimla and improving access to essential services.
UDAN Scheme Expands Regional Air Connectivity
The spokesperson said that under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN 5.1, routes connecting Shimla, Rampur, Reckong Peo, Kullu, Manali, Mandi and Chandigarh have been awarded to Heritage Aviation and Pawan Hans Limited.
Heritage Aviation is currently operating RCS flights on the Shimla-Reckong Peo, Shimla-Kullu-Shimla and Chandigarh-Mandi via Kullu routes.
Meanwhile, Pawan Hans Limited operates helicopter services between Shimla (Sanjauli) and Chandigarh three days a week under the RCS. An additional flight is operated once a week under the State Regional Connectivity Scheme, with the state government bearing 100 per cent of the Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
The government provides approximately Rs. 35.70 lakh per month towards the VGF for the additional flight, the spokesperson said.
These arrangements ensure air connectivity between Chandigarh and Shimla on all seven days of the week.
