December 2010: Today, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said in state assembly that the government has officially signed an MoU with three companies to provide heli-taxi services for inter-state and intra-state travel.
Dhumal, who is also state tourism minister, made the staement while replying to a supplementary question by GS Bali (Nagrota-Cong), saying that the MoU’s purpose was to increase high-end tourism in the state by opening up landlocked areas and tourists destinations in HP via heli-taxi to the lakhs of tourists who want to visit.
Dhumal stated that M/s Mesco Airlines Ltd agreed to run service on 19 air routes. Among these routes would be Shimla-(Annadale)-Chandigarh(airport) heli-taxi service for just Rs 4,500 per passenger each way as well as Shimla-Dharmsala at Rs 7,500 and Shimla-Kullu at Rs 6,000. According to Dhumal, subsidised rates would be offered for services being to tribal belts operating from the winter season.
The two others firms included in the MoU are M/s Shiva Heli Service, Khanna (Punjab) and M/s Sim Samm Airways Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai. Shiva Heli Service limited its service to Manali, while Sim Samm Airways plans service to Manali, Kullu, Lohaul Spiti and Chamba distinct respectively.
The tourism department shortlisted Mesco, Shiva and Sim Samm after each company quoted fares for 28 air routes, with fare structure in the range of Rs 2,000 to 13,000.
About 1.40 crore tourists visit HP annually, about 3-4 lakh of which are foreign tourists. Currently there are 57 helipads throughout the state at altitudes between 1,500 ft and 15,000ft.