Second helicopter service launched in Nagaland

Nagaland Transport Minister P Paiwang Konyak on Wednesday flagged off the second state helicopter service from Dimapur Airport. The chopper having a sitting capacity of 13 passengers with medical facilities will operate on 19 routes from the present 10 routes covering all the districts.

The minister said that as per the directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, only common passengers and medical evacuation cases would be able to avail a 75 per cent subsidy on the passenger fare. VIPs, bureaucrats and government servants will not be entitled to subsidies.

Transport secretary Kenilo Apon said that in addition to the service of one helicopter that was flying 480 hours per year, Nagaland would now have two chopper services with 1200 flying hours annually. The Centre had sanctioned the additional helicopter service under the Ministry of Home Affairs subsidy scheme.