Chandigarh: Helipad to come up at Rajendra Park with night-landing facility

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, June 6

To facilitate night landing of helicopters carrying VVIPs in the city, the UT Administration will develop a separate area at Rajendra Park for use as a helipad. At the existing helipad, choppers can only land during daytime.

The decision was taken after a request from the Punjab and Haryana governments. A senior officer said in a communication to the UT Administration, both neighbouring states requested provision of facility of night landing for helicopters carrying VVIPs at the Rajendra Park. The officer said it would also help in emergency landing of air ambulances.

In addition to developing a separate zone at Rajendra Park, additional land will be identified for use as helipad in another part of city, such as at Sarangpur, etc. by the Department of Urban Planning.

After assessing the security concerns raised by the police, as there is no permanent security arrangements at Rajendra Park, it was decided to put up temporary fencing, gate for entry, lighting, etc, there.

The officer said the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 had proposed shifting of the helipad from Rajendra Park to an appropriate site in consultation with the airport authorities and security officials, removal of security tents and barbed fencing along the Uttar Marg, defining the edge of the park towards Nayagaon village on the Punjab side, etc.

The common helipad built at Rajendra Park, near the residences of the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana, is being used by both states, besides Governors and other VVIPs coming from other states or national capital.

Additional land to be identified

• Move comes after a request by Punjab and Haryana govts; new facility will also help in emergency landing of air ambulances
• Temporary fencing, gate for entry, lighting, etc. will be put up following security concerns raised by the police
• Dept of Urban Planning will identify additional land for use as helipad in another part of city, such as at Sarangpur, etc