Online booking for paragliding activities in Dharamshala soon

Tourists will soon be able to conveniently book their slots for paragliding activities in Dharamshala online through the ‘Apna Kangra’ mobile application, as the district administration moves to regulate paragliding activities through an online platform.
The initiative aims to enhance safety and convenience for tourists. A dedicated section for paragliding slot bookings has been incorporated into the application. Initially, the pilot project will focus on Dharamshala, with plans for expansion to Kangra’s Bir Billing, one of the world’s top paragliding destinations.
The Kangra administration launched ‘Apna Kangra’ mobile application recently and it enables a user to explore and plan vacations in the district with the help of local experts. It also helps in exploring various trip ideas, adventure activities, cuisines, events and other activities and services related to tourism crafted by locals.
Dharamshala tourism deputy director Vinay Dhiman said the operators have been registered in the application and it will be physically implemented soon. “Pilots will also be registered, and their verification will be done at the back-end. You can book your slots from anywhere in the world and the operator will also assign a pilot and equipment as well,” he said, adding that the district administration will also widely publicise it soon.
Officials in the district administration also said once the project is implemented in Dharamshala, Bir Billing will also be covered under it. “Since there are internet and connectivity issues at Bir Billing, we may need to install boosters first so that mobile applications can work there without any hassle,” officials said.
The safety of paragliders has remained one of the prime concerns in Kangra as several deaths have taken place in recent years. The Kangra administration’s move is to ensure the safety and security of the paragliders.
In October last year, a Polish paraglider who took off from Bir went missing near Dharamshala and his body was later retrieved. Similarly, a Russian pilot was killed in a paragliding mishap in October as well in Palampur. Earlier in 2022, two deaths in paragliding activities were reported in Kangra as per the details shared by the police.