By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 29 Dec: It will now be possible to construct and establish helipads and heliports on private land by land owners in Uttarakhand. For this, the Uttarakhand government has come out with a new policy. According to the officials, the objective is to encourage more helipads and heliports in the state, particularly in the hills, so that not only tourism can get a boost but also medical and rescue emergencies can be handled in a better way, particularly in the case of natural disasters.
The government has begun taking necessary steps to implement this policy. It is learnt that the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) will soon invite Expression of Interest (EOI) from the private sector on where these helipads are to be built. Under the new policy, the general public can also get a helipad built.
Emphasis is being laid on improving air services in Uttarakhand, for which helipads will be built in the hill areas of Uttarakhand.
UCADA is presently identifying sites that need helipads. Once the sites are identified, then the details will be shared with the public. The interested companies, firms and individuals will then be able to apply for approval. As per the policy, the interested parties can build helipads or heliports on their own or they can seek the help of the government. UCADA will come forward to help the interested parties. The state government has been expressing its commitment to expanding heli-services in the state for various reasons which include boosting tourism and dealing with disasters.
