A helipad for a VVIP, on a shoestring

IN government service, sometimes a brief posting becomes memorable because it is packed with events. My stint as Superintendent of Police of Valsad district in Gujarat from August 1994 to April 1995 was one such tenure.

I got a chance to deal with an unprecedented flood, the sudden influx of thousands of people fleeing a suspected plague outbreak in the neighbouring city of Surat, an Assembly election and a prime ministerial visit to the district.

The posting also gave me an opportunity to know, befriend and work with a gem of an IAS officer — Mr Meena, who was the District Collector there. The quintessential bureaucrat, he would not accept even a basket of mangoes as a gift and scrupulously practised the adage, “Spend public money as you would from your own pocket”.

The Assembly polls were held in March 1995. The central election observers arrived in the district; the general observer was a senior IAS officer. Campaigning was in full swing, but as Valsad was the farthest district at the southern end of the state, not many big leaders came there for canvassing. We were, therefore, surprised to receive the message that Prime Minister Narasimha Rao would be coming to the district to address a public meeting.

The visit was at a short notice. I had done security duty for prime ministerial visits during my earlier postings, but this was the first time I was handling such a responsibility as an SP independently.

In those days, VVIP visits used to be no-frills affairs. Collectors had a very small budget to meet such a contingency. Also, TN Seshan was the Chief Election Commissioner, who kept tabs on poll-related spending.

So, arrangements for the visit were made on a shoestring. But just a day before the PM’s arrival, the SPG officer heading the advance security liaison team said the soil on the helipad surface was too loose and the spot needed resurfacing.

Meena asked the Executive Engineer, PWD, to redo the helipad surface using tractor-loads of muram (laterite gravel). Thus, the helipad was ready before the arrival of the dignitary.

The PM arrived, and his visit passed off without any hiccup. Afterwards, we were unwinding over tea at the circuit house when the general election observer asked the Collector casually, “Meena, how much did it cost to resurface the helipad?”

“Only Rs 2,000, sir!” he replied. “Just that much?” the observer asked with surprise. Meena said, “Yes, sir! But I had done it at a lower cost in Surendranagar district during my previous posting. When Deputy PM Devi Lal visited the district, we had got the helipad ready in just Rs 700.”

“Oh, how?” the observer asked. “Sir, we applied a coat of cow dung paste on the surface.” Meena replied earnestly.

For a moment, the observer did not know what to say. Then, he said with a smile, “You will make a great finance secretary!”