Paragliding activities at Bir-Billing will resume from September 16 after a two-month suspension imposed during the monsoon season. The district administration banned all flying activities in July to prevent accidents during heavy rains and will now restore operations with enhanced safety guidelines.
Workers have been cleaning the takeoff point at Billing, which was covered with wild grass during the monsoon break. The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department is also restoring the 14-kilometer road between Bir and Billing that was damaged by landslides and fallen trees during the rainy season.
Baijnath SDM Sankalp Gautam confirmed that both solo and tandem flights for tourists will be operational from Tuesday. On average, 200 pilots take off from Billing daily and land at Chaugan, the designated landing site. The resumption has been welcomed by taxi drivers and guides who depend on paragliding tourism.
The two-month ban severely impacted local businesses, with most hotels and homestays experiencing significantly reduced occupancy. Bir-Billing is recognized as arguably Asia’s best paragliding site and ranks among the world’s top destinations for the adventure sport.
This village serves as a center for eco-tourism, meditation, and spiritual studies, located away from crowded tourist destinations in the valley west of Mandi district. After hosting the Paragliding World Cup in 2024, Bir has earned the title “Paragliding Capital of India” and continues attracting adventure sports enthusiasts from around the world.
The resumption of activities is expected to revive the local tourism economy that had been dormant during the monsoon suspension period.
