To strengthen air connectivity in the remote and hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh, daily helicopter services were launched on Monday between Kullu, Mandi and Chandigarh.Chief Minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu virtually inaugurated the helicopter services, which will operate from the newly developed Kangnidhar (Mandi) heliport, connecting the Mandi–Chandigarh and Kullu–Mandi–Chandigarh sectors.The Mandi–Chandigarh helicopter service will be operated under the Centre’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN), while the Kullu–Mandi–Chandigarh sector will be operated by Heritage Aviation Private Limited.The helicopter from Kullu will depart at 9 am and reach Mandi at 9.10 am. It will then leave Mandi at 9.15 am and arrive in Chandigarh at 9.45 am.On the return journey, the helicopter will depart Chandigarh at 10 am, reach Mandi at 10.30 am, leave Mandi at 10.35 am, and arrive in Kullu at 10.45 am.Under the RCS-UDAN scheme, the indicative airfare for the Mandi–Chandigarh sector has been fixed at Rs 3,500, while the indicative fare for the Kullu–Mandi–Chandigarh sector is Rs 8,500.The Kangnidhar Heliport, developed with modern passenger amenities and the requisite operational infrastructure, will serve as an important aviation hub for the central region of the state.The CM said the state government has been making sustained efforts to strengthen air connectivity in the remote and hilly areas of the state. He said the services are expected to substantially reduce travel time, promote tourism, enhance emergency response capabilities, and provide greater convenience to residents as well as visitors.Emphasising the state government’s focus on promoting tourism, Sukhu said heliports are being constructed at every district headquarters as well as at other prominent tourist destinations. He added that construction work on four heliports, at Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, and Chamba, is in the final stage of completion.