Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday inaugurated a heliport on the outskirts of the city.
The heliport would not only provide much-needed relief to the high-end tourists visiting the state but will be effectively used in case of medical emergencies as it was near IGMC hospital, Shimla, he said.
Thakur said the heliport near Sanjauli-Dhalli bye-pass was constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore. The Union government provided Rs 12.13 crore for construction of this project under Himalayan Circuit of the Swadesh Darshan programme and Rs 6 crore under UDAN-2, he added.
Thakur said the three-storeyed heliport has all the modern facilities.
He said heliports are also being constructed at Baddi, Rampur and Mandi under the UDAN-2 scheme.
He said the state government would soon send a proposal for construction of new heliports at Reckong Peo, Chamba, Dalousie, Jhanjeli and Jawalaji to the Union Ministry of Tourism and the Civil Aviation Ministry which would give a new fillip to tourism activities in these areas.
At present, there are 64 helipads in the state and 38 new helipads are being constructed, he added.