Chandigarh: Sky is not the limit, it seems, for Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy CM son Sukhbir Badal when it comes to chopper-hopping across the state. It has forced the government to use the services of as many as three helicopter companies, besides arranging regular fleet of cars.
The hiring charges for each of the companies -- Gobal Vectra, DLF and India FlySafe Aviation - have already reached Rs 3.20 crore for the period between December 20, 2010 and May 3, 2011. The bills for the next months are still awaited.
The two flew 77 times in almost 133 days, according to the documents from the aviation companies.
In February alone, the deputy CM's 22 visits cost the exchequer nearly Rs 88 lakh. He visited Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar, which are easily accessible by road.
Two months later, the chief minister flew to 22 similar locations across the state on a Global Vectra chopper, duration for which was nearly 44 hours, shooting up the hourly charges to Rs 76 lakh.
08/10/11 Rohan Dua/Times of India
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