In view of the Lok Sabha polls which is slated  to take place here  on May 12, the East Singhbhum district administration has decided to set up over two dozen helipads in various places. According to information in all 32 helipads, several of them having night landing facility will be set up, mostly in Ghatshila sub-division of the district.

East Singhbhum deputy commissioner, Amit Kumar said that the helipads will be set up as a part of election security exercise in the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha constituency. The focus will be on the remote areas bordering Bengal on one side and Odisha on the other.

"In order to ensure movement of forces during a period of emergency and some of them will be having night landing facility, the helipads will be set up.  At some of the polling booths the polling officers and poll materials will be carried in the choppers," said Kumar.

As the election campaign picks up momentum, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) has also come out with new air safety rules governing the safety and airworthiness regulations for non-scheduled flight operations such as those pertaining to helicopters and small aircraft.

An official said that since helicopters are bound to land at temporary helipads, the district administration should ensure the helipad surface does not have loose soil and that minimal markings are given for the helicopter. Details of the duty times of pilots flying the choppers and aircraft have to be submitted with the DGCA to avoid pilot fatigue. Every operator on election campaign will need to appoint a person to manage flights and the person will be held accountable for ensuring compliance.

The Returning Officer said that the administration is going to set up 32 helipads for an hassle free poll in the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha constituency."We have identified 16 spots for setting up helipads for enabling the political parties for public meeting in the remote areas.  The helipads will have to be made by the political parties who will need to organise a meeting at the remote areas," the deputy commissioner pointed out.

Kumar, when queried, said that whenever any senior political leader to hold meeting at any remote area, the district administration has make security arrangement for leader well in advance.