Determined to connect Shimla with regular flights, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed authorities to inform it by May 4 regarding air services to the hill resort and made it clear that it would not take no for an answer. "If 'no' is the categorical answer, we will pass an order against those responsible for this," the apex court said. Repeatedly pulled up by the court for not connecting Shimla by air, the Centre informed a bench of CJI TS Thakur and justices R Banumathi and UU Lalit that it had notified the city in the list of destinations connected by flight after due certification.

The bench then directed the director general of civil aviation to write to all airlines to put small aircrafts in service to Shimla and sent a clear warning to the aviation companies that they would have to pay the price for neglecting the route. "Earlier they commence the services, the better is for them," the bench observed.

Satisfied with Centre's decision to open air services for the city, the bench, said it was inclined to order auditing of air route allocations while strongly disapproving assigning lucrative destinations to private airlines and leaving the national carrier for uneconomic and far-flung regions.

The bench also questioned the Centre for putting Jammu and Srinagar in the category II of the list along with northeastern region.