The Delhi International Airport (DIAL) has been asked to explore the possibilities for air travellers to avail helicopter services connecting Delhi to cities such as Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad. Speaking at the PHD Chamber’s first Heli Expo India 2017, civil aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said these chopper services should serve as an alternative to travelling by road in taxis, which takes a longer time. The heliport at Rohini, inaugurated earlier this year, was developed at a cost of INR 100 crore. It is a joint venture between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Pawan Hans.
“I have asked DIAL to explore the possibilities for making space for helicopters at the Delhi airport, so that heli-services are launched to provide direct connectivity to air travellers. They can avail of such facilities and reach their destinations by air in a much shorter time,” Choubey said. Uttarakhand Tourism Minister and chairman of the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board Satpal Maharaj, who spoke at the event, urged the centre to encourage and optimise air travel through helicopter services in the hill states and north-eastern parts of the country.
He also urged the government to provide subsidies to the spare parts manufacturers of the helicopters, enabling efficient medical and disaster management operations at a cheaper cost on such difficult terrains. The country’s first integrated heliport, a dedicated landing facility for helicopters, was opened at Rohini in March.