Bhuntar Airport gets FCA clearance for expansion: CM

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said here today that forest clearance of Bhuntar Airport has been received thus paving the way for its expansion.
The airport will soon be widened now enabling the bigger aircrafts to land thus increasing the footfall of the tourists and facilitating the locals as well stated the Chief Minister. Besides, the airport now would meet the required regulatory standards of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and will further enhance the extra safety measures.
This airport plays a key role to boost the tourism activities in Kullu and Lahaul as it draws significant number of tourists to explore the nature's splendor, the richness of culture and traditions besides the religious sites. The Chief Minister said that direct flights linking Amritsar to Kullu were also operational and the expansion will further add to the increased influx of both the domestic and the International travelers.
Sh. Sukhu said that along with the horticulture and hydropower sectors, tourism was the mainstay of the state's economy and thousands of families were associated with this key sector. The government was committed to widely promote tourism and has allocated a substantial amount of rupees three thousand crore to the tourism sector. This government was making every possible endeavour to promote tourism and enhance the infrastructure for facilitating the tourists to offer them memorable experiences in Himachal Pradesh, he said.
"We have set a target to attract over five crore tourists every year in the state and efforts were being made in this direction since the formation of the new government in the State," concluded the Chief Minister.