Plan afoot for civilian helipads in ‘almost all districts, subdivisions’

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, Jan. 26 (EMN): Minister for Transport, Civil Aviation, Railways and Land Resources, P Paiwang Konyak on Saturday announced that the government is planning to construct civilian helipads in almost all the districts and subdivisions of the state.    

Addressing a press conference in Mokokchung, the minister informed that the proposed plan has been submitted under the North Eastern Council (NEC) programme. According to Konyak, with the addition of two more helicopters with enhanced 1200 flying hours in a year, people of the state could now benefit from the facilities available.

“In fact, using military and police helipads is not advisable for civilians, therefore my ministry is trying to construct helipads in almost all the districts and sub-divisions of the state,” Konyak said.

The minister further said that he had requested the deputy commissioner of Mokokchung to immediately provide the required land for construction of a separate civilian helipad for the district.

“The sooner the land is given, the sooner the citizens of Mokokchung will get a helipad,” he assured.

Konyak also added that after the completion of roads in Dimapur, the department is planning to launch AC buses in the commercial hub of the state.

When queried if he was satisfied with the present NST services, and whether there was room for improvement, the minister replied that the people of Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung district might not feel the benefit and services of the NST buses but for those in the far-flung areas, they are the only mode of transportation because no private operators are willing to go there.

“In fact, if the NST department is privatised or corporatised, no private operators will be willing to go Longwa, Noklak, Pungro and other remote areas of Nagaland, therefore NST is mainly for ENPO areas and other remotes areas were private operators fail to reach and this is the only communication for those people,” he asserted.

The minister also admitted that there might be some lapses on the part of the department, however, he asserted that as far as the NST department is concerned it is a social service department dealing with the ‘lowest section of the society.’

Therefore, NST department cannot be compared with private bus operators in terms of revenue, the prime focus cannot be on revenue alone but it should be focused on the benefits people can avail, he said.

Konyak also expressed faith and satisfaction with the working system of the NST “because of the dynamics and efficient young recruits in the department.”