By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: To mark the resumption of the chopper services in the State, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma would formally fly from Guwahati International Airport to Shillong by the twin engine helicopter of the State-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd on Thursday.
The Chief Minister is expected to land at the helipad in Upper Shillong on Thursday afternoon where he is expected to address media on the Government decision to allow Pawan Hans to résumé its service after a gap of 15 months.
A senior government official on Wednesday informed that the State Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. for operating a helicopter service on Tuesday.
According to the senior government official, Pawan Hans would provide Meghalaya with a double-engine helicopter of the latest technology to ferry passengers on the Shillong-Tura-Guwahati-Shillong route.
It may be recalled that with only Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited qualifying the bid for operating of chopper service in the State, the Government is left with no alternative but to re-select the service provider to run the chopper service despite having earlier cancelled the contract.
On April 30, 2011, the Meghalaya government suspended operations of the state-run Pawan Hans chopper service, hours after a helicopter carrying the then Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu, along with four others, crashed.
In September 2004, ten people, including a cabinet minister and two legislators from Meghalaya, were also killed in a similar crash that took place in Kyrdem Khla, Ri-Bhoi district
Chopper service was introduced in Meghalaya in March 1988, but the service was suspended after it was found financially unviable. The government re-introduced the helicopter service in 1999 with the union home ministry agreeing to provide 50 percent subsidy for the service.
The state government contributed another 25 percent subsidy.