Safety Turbulence in the Skies: Anurag Thakur Flags Paragliding Deaths, Targets Sukhu Govt in Lok Sabha
Shimla/New Delhi: Raising alarm over rising fatalities in Himachal’s booming adventure tourism sector, Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Friday flagged serious safety lapses in paragliding hubs like Bir Billing and Manali during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
Directing his concerns to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Thakur underlined what he called a “growing security crisis” in aerosports, pointing out that more than 30 people have lost their lives in paragliding accidents in Himachal Pradesh over the past six years.
Bir-Billing alone accounts for the highest number of fatalities, including nine foreign nationals, he said, calling the trend “deeply worrisome.”
The BJP leader did not hold back in attacking the state government led by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, accusing it of failing to enforce existing aerosports regulations and ensure safety compliance on the ground.
“Frequent accidents expose poor regulation, untrained pilots, substandard equipment, and lack of safety protocols. Weather assessment systems are also not being effectively used,” he told the House.
Thakur further alleged that the state “missed a golden opportunity” to host the prestigious Paragliding World Cup this year due to lack of cooperation from the Congress government.
The missed event, he said, has hit local livelihoods hard, depriving communities of tourism-driven income and global visibility.
Flagging similar incidents in neighbouring Uttarakhand, Thakur stressed the urgent need for stricter enforcement of aerosports guidelines, better pilot training, certification systems, and real-time weather monitoring to ensure tourist safety.
He urged the Centre and the state to work in tandem to restore confidence in Himachal’s adventure tourism sector.
With Himachal’s skies drawing thrill-seekers from across the globe, the MP warned that unless regulatory gaps are plugged, the state risks not just lives but also its reputation as a premier aerosports destination.
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