Helicopter services under the first phase of Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) regional connectivity scheme will start in the State from October 4. Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said that these will begin from Pithoragarh, Chinyalisaud, Gauchar, Haldwani and Sahastradhara.
Chairing a meet on UDAN, Singh said that the Government of India had selected 14 routes and airline operators under this scheme. The air services will be operatored by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) through the private service operators. While the first phase of UDAN is slated to start on October 4, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also slated to inaugurate investors summit in Dehradun on the same date.
In the meeting chaired by Singh, the Additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash directed the Civil Aviation department to complete all preparations on time. Special training and deployment of police force and firemen should also be ensured. Infrastructural facilities and equipment will be provided by the DGCA. For the air services, the State Government is providing rebate on ATF, electricity and water at discount rates, free security and fire fighting services at airports/helipads. It was stated in the meeting that 108 personnel of the Uttarakhand police are to be posted at helipads and heliports. They are being trained in stages by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Delhi. The DGCA has conducted site inspections and given the minimum obstruction clearance altitude (MOCA) report. Officials stated that there are State Government airstrips at Pithoragarh, Chinyalisaud and Gauchar which are being developed into helidromes.
A helidrome at Sahastradhara in Dehradun and a helipad in Haldwani are already existing.