CM: Bhuntar airport gets forest nod for expansion

Shimla, February 9

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that forest clearance had been received for the Bhuntar airport in Kullu district, thus paving the way for its expansion.

He said, “The airport will soon be expanded to enable bigger aircraft to land there, to increase the tourist footfall and facilitate locals.” Besides, the airport would meet the required regulatory standards of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and would have extra safety measures, he added.

Sukhu said that the airport played a key role boosting tourism activities in Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts, as a number of tourists use its services to explore the nature’s splendor, richness of culture and traditions, besides religious sites.

He said direct flights from Amritsar to Kullu were also operational and the airport expansion would boost the influx of both domestic and international travellers. He added that along with the horticulture and hydropower sectors, tourism was the mainstay of the state’s economy and thousands of families were associated with it. “The government is committed to promoting tourism. It has allocated Rs 3,000 crore for the sector,” he claimed.