The Hindu : National : Leaders set to become chopper hoppers

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Thursday, Mar 12, 2009
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National

Leaders set to become chopper hoppers

Vinay Kumar

Parties look to clinch deals with companies

NEW DELHI: In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, political parties are looking to clinch deals with the companies providing air charter services and book helicopters and small jet planes to ferry their top leaders across the country for campaigning and addressing election rallies.

If it is the turn of the air charter companies to smile all the way to the banks, there are also security concerns for protecting the country’s top political leaders. Security agencies, including police forces, are likely to be on their toes, trying to keep pace with the hectic electioneering by senior political leaders and star campaigners.

In the wake of the recent security breach involving helicopters of President Pratibha Patil’s VVIP entourage and an aircraft of a domestic carrier at the Mumbai airport, the Civil Aviation Ministry has reviewed the procedures. It has decided to go for separate corridors at airports for helicopters landing in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.

Airports in other cities could also be asked to create such facilities, industry sources said.

There are about 180 helicopters in the country, excluding those owned by industrial houses. The largest operator is the State-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited. It has a fleet of 36 helicopters and often lends its services for transportation of VIPs.

The Congress is the largest single user of private helicopters and aircraft. In the coming general elections, the party is likely to book about 20 choppers and 10 small jet aircraft to ferry its leaders.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party also avail of the helicopter services for ferrying their leaders.

The sources said the hiring and operational cost of a helicopter could be anything between Rs. 45,000 and Rs. 1.35 lakh an hour depending on the size and capacity of the chopper.

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