Dharamshala, Jan. 31 -- The land at the Billing paragliding take-off site in Kangra's popular adventure tourism hub of Bir-Billing has been diverted to the state tourism department, paving the way for the infrastructure upgrades at the site. The take-off site was earlier located on forest land. Now, around 24 kanals of land have been diverted to the tourism department, which plans to develop the area, strengthen infrastructure, and ensure strict implementation of safety norms. Bir-Billing, renowned for its excellent thermals and breathtaking scenery, attracts thousands of paragliding enthusiasts every year. Known as the paragliding capital of India, it ranks among the top paragliding sites in the world. The second Paragliding World Cup was held here in November 2024, following the first in 2015. Billing is a major paragliding hub in Kangra district, hosting not only solo flights but also a large number of commercial tandem flights throughout the year. Kangra district tourism development officer Vinay Dhiman said, "With the land now under the tourism department, we can systematically develop the site to enhance infrastructure. Plans include construction of a boundary wall, development of dedicated take-off runways for paragliders, and implementation of gated entry. The entire take-off area will be enclosed and guarded by marshals to ensure safety and better regulation." Billing Paragliding Association (BPA) president Anurag Sharma said, "Efforts had been underway for more than a decade to make this happen, and the present government, especially the chief minister, supported the initiative. Now, finally, the site can be developed in line with the needs and requirements of adventure tourism. Since the land was earlier under the forest department, infrastructure development was very difficult." Also, the commercial paragliding operators in Bir-Billing have decided to come together under a single umbrella to form the Billing Paragliding Community Association (BPCA). Officials said the process of registering the association as a society is currently underway. "They have agreed to follow a common protocol, and all bookings will be carried out under one umbrella. This will make it easier to implement and monitor norms at the ground level," an official said. Meanwhile, as the land acquisition process for the expansion of Kangra airport is underway, Rs.1,460 crore has been disbursed so far, officials aware of the matter said. The state government is in the process of expanding the airport and is acquiring around 150 hectares of land for the project. The total cost of land acquisition has been pegged at approximately Rs.3,500 crore....