Kolkata: The Katra chopper crash has raised the alarm in Bengal with the state administration realizing the need to review safety measures for helicopter rides by VIPs.
The Vaishno Devi crash claimed six pilgrims and the pilot after a bird hit the chopper's rear rotor blades. They then caught fire after the copter got entangled in electricity transmission lines while making an emergency landing.
The presence of a large number of birds in and around the race course in Kolkata, which is used as a helipad by VVIPs during trips within Bengal, has caught the attention of transport department officials and Pawan Hans management.
Mamata Banerjee uses it frequently to fly to various district headquarters. Even President Pranab Mukherjee uses it during his trips to his home in Birbhum.
The facility has also been used by Prime Ministers in the past, though Narendra Modi did not use it during his last visit. He travelled by car to Belur Math from where he took a chopper to Asansol.
26/11/15 Times of India
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The Vaishno Devi crash claimed six pilgrims and the pilot after a bird hit the chopper's rear rotor blades. They then caught fire after the copter got entangled in electricity transmission lines while making an emergency landing.
The presence of a large number of birds in and around the race course in Kolkata, which is used as a helipad by VVIPs during trips within Bengal, has caught the attention of transport department officials and Pawan Hans management.
Mamata Banerjee uses it frequently to fly to various district headquarters. Even President Pranab Mukherjee uses it during his trips to his home in Birbhum.
The facility has also been used by Prime Ministers in the past, though Narendra Modi did not use it during his last visit. He travelled by car to Belur Math from where he took a chopper to Asansol.
26/11/15 Times of India
