The State Government is mulling to introduce commercial helicopter service from Uttarakhand's Kumaon division soon, said the Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani, Indira Hridayesh, on Tuesday.
Presently, Air India is running its service between Delhi and Pantnagar in Udham Singh Nagar for four days a week–Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. However, the State Government is far from happy with the prevailing state of affairs. The basic infrastructure is still not sound with night vision facility at Pantnagar airport being not up to the mark.
Besides, the number of passengers for the four-days-a-week flight services is not encouraging from the point of their economic feasibility. Circumstanced thus, the State Government has gone for launching regular commercial helicopter service from the airport and other hill destinations located across Kumaon division, the Minister said.
Notably, Pantnagar airport lacks basic facilities for the landing and taking off of bigger aircrafts. "The entrepreneurs want us to go for this enterprise. This would indeed go a long way in giving a new fillip to industry. Besides, such chopper service would boost the tourism prospects also. The import of tourism can hardly be over-exaggerated given the fact that it is the fulcrum of the State's economy. This is why we are mulling to introduce such commercial chopper service from Pantnagar airport and other parts of the Kumaon region," added the Minister.
"Basic infrastructure facilities like modern helidrom coming up in Haldwani has also enthused us to go for the plan, she said. Mention-worthy, keeping in view its tourism potential and to smoothen transport services, the State Government is setting up basic air transport infrastructure in three important cities of...
Nainital district–Haldwani, Nainital and Ramnagar–to facilitate glitch-free landing of helicopters. Under this plan a helidrom which can facilitate landing for eight helicopters at a time is coming up in Haldwani. True, the State Government has stressed on the need to modernise Pantnagar airport, equipping it with proper facilities and safety of the passengers on priority basis. However, things are still not good enough to inspire confidence, said an industrialist.
Since foggy conditions, particularly during the winter, engulf the Terai belt, right level of visibility always remains a major concern for regular flight from the airport, added the industrialist.