Leh, Jun 29 (PTI) The helicopter services in Ladakh are now open for tourists to travel across the Union Territory, with the first batch of tourists having already availed the heli-service, officials said.

The first batch took the helicopter ride here on Tuesday.

Also Read | Russian Missile Attack on Crowded Ukrainian Shopping Mall: India Says Civilian Deaths 'Deeply Disturbing'.

The helicopter services operated by the administration will be available to the locals and tourists in general across sectors in the Union territory, they said.

Rates to avail the service have been notified by the administration for the residents of Ladakh, according to the order from Ladakh's civil aviation department.

Also Read | Maharashtra Political Crisis Live Updates: Governor Asks CM Uddhav Thackeray To Prove Majority Tomorrow; BJP Directs Its MLAs To Assemble at Taj President Hotel in Mumbai by Today Evening.

"Individuals desirous of booking on the notified routes can book the tickets online at https://heliservice.ladakh.gov.in/", the order said.

A distinct booking mechanism has been made available on the portal for passengers other than the residents of Ladakh, they said.

The order said that the availability of a ticket will depend upon the number of passengers, weather conditions, or any other operational restrictions.

The administration has opened the services with two choppers -- a five-seater B-3 chopper and a larger Mi-172--, they said.

The services will cover Leh, Kargil, Padum, Lingshed, Dibling, Neyrak, Diskit, Turtuk, Srinagar, and Jammu to begin with, they said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)