SHILLONG, Dec 31: The state government’s proposal for dedicated choppers for VVIPs has been backed by Cabinet Minister AL Hek, who asserted that there is a need for such a service since ministers will need to travel to various parts of the state for inspection and other official purposes.
Hek, on Sunday, said that he would personally prefer to travel by road as he can cover more than one district during one journey. “Travelling by a chopper, we can attend only one specific programme,” Hek said.
To a query, he specified that a chopper does not necessarily need a huge space to land. “But the government will have to explore to develop spaces in various parts of the state to make it easier for choppers to land,” the BJP minister said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said his government plans to hire a twin-engine chopper exclusively for the movements of VVIPs.
According to the CM, the government is issuing a tender for a short-term lease, and payment would be made on an hourly basis. “This is the most efficient way and will not incur much financial burden,” he said.
Sangma had also mentioned that the normal sorties for Shillong-Tura-Guwahati route used by visitors get disturbed when VVIP takes the choppers. It may be mentioned that the Transport department had on December 22 floated an advertisement requesting a proposal for wet lease of one the twin-engine helicopters with a seating capacity of 4-5 passengers.
The last date for submission for the proposal is January 2, 2024, while the tender will be opened on January 16 following which the winning bidder will have to make the chopper available within five days for the government’s usage.
