Shimla: Three airports in Himachal Pradesh located near the tourist towns of Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala wear a deserted look with no flights having landed since September 6 last year. Each airport is suffering monthly loss of around Rs 1 crore while the loss suffered by tourism industry due to non-operation of flights is much more. While the people associated with tourism industry are worried for the coming tourist season, the state government appears helpless.
The airports at Gaggal near Dharamshala, Bhuntar near Manali and Jubbar Hatti near Shimla have been lying deserted for last seven months as no operator is ready to start services after Kingfisher stopped its operations. With rise in mercury in the plains, tourists have already started heading for hill towns but considering the poor condition of state roads high-end tourists are unlikely to take the land route in absence of air link.
14/04/13 Times of India
