Helipads in Chhattsigarh to have night landing facility

NEW DELHI: Learning lessons from the latest maoist attack on CRPF in Chhattisgarh, government has decided to provide night-landing facilities at all the helipads in the naxal-affected districts of the state, removing a handicap in the security operations.

There are 12 districts in Chhattisgarh which are worst hit by naxalism and provision of night-landing facility will help in swift induction of troops and evacuation of the injured personnel which is currently not possible.

The decision has been taken following recommendation of a high-level committee, headed by former CRPF Director General K Vijay Kumar, which went into the naxal attack in the state on December one in which 14 CRPF personnel were killed.

The Home Ministry has conveyed to the Chhattisgarh government to initiate the process of developing the helipads to facilitate night-landing facility through respective district magistrates and the expenses will be reimbursement under Centre's security related expenditure scheme, official sources said here today.

Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Narayanpur and Kanker are among the districts worst hit by naxalism.

Lack of night-landing facility often hampers movement of security forces engaged in anti-naxal operations. There have been several occasions in the past when injured jawans could not be airlifted on time leading to fatality.

The Home Ministry will also request the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to install necessary gadgets to facilitate night-landing of helicopters and aircraft at Jagdalpur air field. The small airfield is operated by the AAI, under the Civil Aviation Ministry.

In case of Jagdalpur too, the Home Ministry will bear the cost of upgradation.

The Indian Air Force, which operates at least four helicopters in Chhattisgarh for movement of troops and evacuation of injured, did not land its choppers many times despite emergency as the night-landing facility was not available in any of the helipads so far.