IAF MI-26 helicopter lands at Gaucher

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, January 5

The first MI-26 helicopter of the Indian Air Force that will carry heavy machines to assist the reconstruction work at Kedarnath, landed successfully at Gaucher helipad near Guptkashi, today.

The landing of MI-26 helicopters at Gaucher has paved the way for speedy reconstruction work at Kedarnath using heavy machines. The MI-26 helicopter will be there at Gaucher for around 20 days and make several sorties lifting heavy machines that will be used to clear the rubble and help in reconstruction work at Kedarnath.

According to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) director, the helicopter is presently stationed at Gaucher due to heavy snow at the newly-constructed helipad at Kedarnath and the NIM employees are working to remove the snow that will be cleared by tomorrow.

Following that, another trial run will be carried out to see if the MI-26 helicopters face any difficulty in landing. The helicopters will lift heavy machines to be used at the Kedarnath shrine after getting the green signal.

On December 29, an ALH helicopter of the Air Force and MI-26 pilots had conducted a day-long reconnaissance and had found the helipad perfect for MI-26 cargo helicopter to land; this led to the arrival of the cargo helicopter in Gaucher today.

Around 300 labourers had worked relentlessly to prepare the helipad at Kedarnath to ensure safe landing of the MI 26 cargo helicopters.