On record
Perched at 2,196 metres and flanked by gorges, Shimla's table-top runway is roughly 300 metres short of the 1,500-metre length aviation experts say is the safe minimum, restricting it to small aircraft and non-scheduled flights. Runway expansion has been stalled for years by disputes over adjoining forest land and private property, and in December 2025 the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed Shimla as one of 15 UDAN airports nationwide with no scheduled flight operations.
The official record states: "Officials cite unresolved land acquisition (forest and private land) blocking runway extension; the Centre separately attributed the broader UDAN suspensions to low passenger load factors and operational constraints. The state government has since shifted focus to a new "world-class" airport in Mandi district instead."
“A runway three hundred metres short of safe, on a mountaintop, between two gorges. ₹116 crore in and still small aircraft only.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/shimla-airport-runway-300-m-short-experts-123942/
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/pathankot-ludhiana-shimla-among-15-udan-airports-with-no-flight-operation/
Visitor reviews Satire
“A table-top runway between two gorges, three hundred metres shorter than experts call the safe minimum.”
“A hundred and sixteen crore spent and it still takes only small aircraft, on days when the weather agrees.”
“The extension has been blocked by forest and private land for years, so the state is now planning a whole new airport in Mandi instead.”
