J-K govt urges Centre to sanction chopper services

The Jammu and Kashmir government has urged the central government to sanction helicopter services for 10 more sectors in the state, an official spokesman said today.
It was informed that the state government has requested the Union government to sanction the helicopter services and necessary approval in this regard was expected to be granted soon, he said.
This was revealed at a meeting in which Chief Secretary B B Vyas along with Director General of Police S P Vaid held a video conference with deputy commissioners and district superintendents of police to review the law and order situation and other issues of public importance including winter preparedness, the spokesman said.

The chief secretary asked the divisional and the district administration to reach out to the people living in far-flung and snow-bound areas for addressing their problems at their door steps, he said.
The deputy commissioner informed that the work on civilian helipads at Tangdhar, Keran and Machil, is in the final stages and is expected to be completed shortly.
In regard to operationalisation of the helicopter services in various sectors in both the divisions, divisional commissioner, Kashmir, and divisional commissioner, Jammu, were asked to work out an appropriate flight time schedule, he said.
The chief secretary asked the deputy commissioners to ensure that all sectors and sub-sectors were covered in the helicopter services being provided by the government at a subsidised fare, the spokesman said.

The divisional commissioner, Kashmir, informed that the trial flight and landing of helicopter was conducted on November 21 in Drass and Kargil sectors and similar trial runs were scheduled in other sectors as well.