Speed up UDAAN project: Himachal CM

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday called on Union Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu and requested for expediting the formalities for early launch of UDAAN II project in the state.

He said air connectivity was vital for boosting the tourism sector.

The Chief Minister told the Union Minister that there was a huge delay in completion of formalities in the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme II. 

He requested for making stop-gap entry arrangements for starting helicopter services by operating intervening helipads for providing connectivity between Chandigarh-Baddi, Kasauli-Shimla and Kullu-Dharamsala.

He also took up international airport for Mandi and conducting obstacles limitation survey at the earliest. He also called for providing technical solutions for expansion of the Shimla airstrip for facilitating bigger aircraft.