For second-shift flight ops, Kangra airport seeks more security measures
The airport will allow flights from sunrise to sunset, compared to the current single-shift schedule that ends at 2 pm
With Himachal’s Kangra airport set to expand its flight operations from March 30 by introducing second-shift operations, authorities are aiming to bolster security at the premises and have raised the matter with the state government.
The airport will allow flights from sunrise to sunset, compared to the current single-shift schedule that ends at 2 pm. However, only 77 of the 98 sanctioned police personnel are currently deployed for airport security.
Airport director Dhirendra Singh raised the issue during a recent meeting with chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Dharamshala, attended by senior district and state officials.
During the meeting, proposals were made to establish a Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) at Kangra airport, with equipment operated by Himachal Pradesh Police. Additionally, a request to appoint a DySP-level officer to lead the Airport Security Unit (APSU) was also taken up with the CM.
Singh said, “To meet this shortage of security personnel, the CM directed the concerned officials to issue necessary orders as soon as possible. Also, we informed them that the airport is going to start operating the flights in the evening shift from 30 March, for which additional 40-50 police personnel will be required.”
Singh also said that they requested that the trained police personnel posted at the airport should not be transferred frequently and they should be posted for a minimum of three years.
More flights on cards
Also, one more daily flight will be added between Gaggal and Chandigarh starting March 30, increasing the total to two daily flights on this route. Only six flights per day operate from the Kangra airport presently and due to the shorter runway, only 72-seater aircraft can land on the airstrip. The flights are operated between Gaggal to Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla.
The airport authorities are also working on connecting three more destinations – Noida, Jaipur and Dehradun – than present Delhi, Shimla and Chandigarh in the summer schedule of 2025 and the matter is under discussion with the airlines.
The airport serves to some sought after leisure and pilgrimage destinations in the region which include the Jwalamukhi Temple, Chintpurni, Chamunda Devi, Brajeshwari Devi, Kangra Fort, Cricket stadium in Dharamshala, Bir-Billing and the residence of the 14th Dalai Lama in McLeodganj.
The state government is also in the process of expanding the Gaggal airport. The expansion project, which is underway, aims to increase the runway length of Kangra airport from the current 1,376 metres to 3,010 metres. This extension is crucial for accommodating larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A320, which would enhance connectivity between the valley and other parts of the country.
