Himachal HC seeks report on shut Shimla airport

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday directed a committee appointed by it to submit a report within a week on resuming flights from Shimla's Jubbarhatti airport that has remained shut since 2012.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed the order on a writ petition of Paras Dhaulta, who said tourism in the state was severely hit in the absence of air connectivity.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 27.

Earlier, the court set up the committee comprising top functionaries of the civil aviation ministry, Airports Authority of India and Air India to suggest and take steps to again make the airport operational.

Official sources said the Jubbarhatti airport, located 2,196 metres above sea level, has been shut for scheduled flights since September 6, 2012, affecting the flow of both tourists and businessmen to the hill state.

However, airports at Kullu and Dharamsala in the state have been functioning.