Emergency Landing Forces Governor to Travel by Road Amid Criticism

Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (Retd) faced an emergency helicopter landing due to a technical snag in Srinagar. After attending the Tehri Lake Festival, he was en route to the budget session in Gairsain. The incident prompted criticism from Congress over the BJP government's handling.

The helicopter carrying Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) was forced to make an emergency landing in Srinagar on Sunday after experiencing a technical glitch, according to officials. Originally en route to Gairsain for the state's budget session, the governor's journey was interrupted post his attendance at the Tehri Lake Festival.

The incident unfolded around 1:30 pm when the helicopter developed issues, necessitating the emergency landing at the helipad of the company GVK, officials said. After landing, the governor proceeded to a police guest house and later continued his journey to Gairsain by road under heavy security, as Pauri District Magistrate Swati S Bhadoria confirmed.

The unexpected change in travel plans sparked criticism from the state's Congress party, with Uttarakhand Congress Chief Ganesh Godiyal criticizing the BJP government for not providing an alternative helicopter. Godiyal stated that the government's inability to arrange a second helicopter signaled a failure.