IAF helicopter starts operation at Kedarnath

Tribune News Service

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Mussoorie, January 8

After a successful trial runs, officials of the IAF MI 26 helicopter started the operation of supplying heavy machines to the shrine of Kedarnath forspeedyreconstruction

today.

The helicopter took its first flight from Gaucher around 7.35 am and dropped a JCB machine, weighing around 13 ton, at the newly built helipad at Kedarnath much to the delight of the workers from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi.

Ajay Kothiyal, principal, NIM, said the helicopter in its second flight dropped a portable snow blower, weighing around 1,500 kg, being used in the country for the first time for reconstruction work of any kind. The helicopter also carried a dumper truck, weighing 18 ton, to Kedarnath.

“The helicopter will carry two JCB-3 DX, three Poclain machines and couple of hydra cranes in the first phase,” said NIM officials.

Ajay said the newly constructed helipad took around three to four months for its completion, much larger than other helipads and coverd an area of 150 metres by 50 metres.