Paragliding, one of the most important tourist activities in Himachal Pradesh, will restart at Bir Billing from September 15. The adventure sport was suspended by the state government after the lockdown implemented in India in March 2020 in the wake of Coronavirus.
The state had given permission to resume paragliding in the first week of July. However, the ban on flights, considering the rising cases of COVID-19, did not support the resumption. According to the latest reports, the state government will permit every kind of paragliding from September 15, which would give the much-needed push to tourism in Kangra valley.
On the other hand, there is still uncertainty about organising the International Paragliding World Cup Championship 2020 at Billing in October 2020, because the COVID- 19 pandemic has not yet subsided. It is merely 1.5 months to go for the event, yet no preparations are in progress. Several officers of the state tourism department and the administration have not confirmed the event.
The championship is hosted at Billing annually in October. Bir Billing is one of the 10 paragliding locations in the world and right at the top in Asia, due to its altitude, required thermal currents, and the verdant green surroundings in the Himalayan foothills. The nearest destination to Bir Billing is Dharamsala.
Bir is a hub for eco-tourism, spiritual studies, meditation, and a Tibetan refugee settlement with Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa. While Billing is the take-off site for paragliding, Bir village is meant for landing.