TN formulating mechanism to provide chopper services across the state

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
Availing Helicopter services to far flung areas of Tamil Nadu could soon be a reality as the state government is working out a mechanism and planning to come out with a Government Order soon to enable the use of helicopters for travel between cities and towns within Tamil Nadu, according to Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation managing director Sandeep Nanduri
 
He said the state government is working out a mechanism which will leverage the National Civil Aviation Policy and the Helicopter Policy of the Government of India, enabling helicopter operators to utilize around 80 unused helipads across the state to provide intercity and town connectivity. TIDCO is the nodal agency for facilitating regional air connectivity,

"We are formulating our own mechanism which will suit the state based on the Union government guidelines. This will standardise various services be it booking and maintenance of the heliports," said Nanduri.

The proposed intra-state air connectivity using helicopters (and small airplanes) would not just benefit the airline operators, but would also benefit the original equipment manufacturers and hence boost the local manufacturing industry. This will not only let the ‘common man’ fly at affordable prices but will also boost the regional economy and lead to job creation, he said.

Project director of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation B Krishnamoorthy said the scheme would be implemented in phases. It will help in providing emergency medical services, maintenance of law and order, recreational tourism, medical tourism and harvested organ transportation, religious tourism, Business travel, aero-sports and joyrides and  ground support service sector at the locations.

The mechanism would build upon Heli Disha, an administrative guidance manual for helicopter operations, and Heli Sewa, a portal for providing online landing clearance for helicopter operations.  This would involve collaboration between government agencies, helipad operators, and helicopter operators to provide reliable and efficient intra-state connectivity.

Krishnamoorthy said that discussions were held with stakeholders to understand their key concerns.These include multiple ownership of the existing helipads in the state hence making the co-ordination activity difficult. For example, Trichy City four helipads and each one of them is controlled by AAI, Tamil Nadu Special Police and Bharathidasan University and BHEL, sources said.

It is learnt  TIDCO will identify existing helipads/heliport owned by the state government agencies and also identify new locations which have no helipads but have a high traffic potential and establish helipads/heliport on government land through the local administration or in collaboration with other government agencies.

Krishnamoorthy said that TIDCO would in collaboration with the helipad owner and the district administration establish the minimum standards for each helipad for which it would identify helipad custodians. For example – security fence, approach cone clearance, passenger facilities, availability of electricity and water etc.