President Murmu’s Helicopter Stranded on Newly Laid Helipad in Kerala
Freshly Poured Concrete Causes Helicopter Tires to Sink at Pramadam; President Proceeds by Road Without Delay
Kerala, Oct 22 : President Droupadi Murmu’s helicopter faced a minor mishap on Wednesday morning when its tires sank into the freshly laid concrete at the Konni Pramadam Indoor Stadium helipad near Pathanamthitta, Kerala. The incident occurred while she was en route to the famed Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.
Originally scheduled to land at Nilakkal, the helicopter’s landing site was shifted to Pramadam at the last minute due to adverse weather, including heavy rain. Concrete had been poured at the helipad that morning, and the helicopter touched down before it had fully hardened, causing the surface to give way. Despite the issue, the President continued her journey to Pampa by road, ensuring there was no delay in her schedule.
President Murmu left Raj Bhavan around 7:30 am for Thiruvananthapuram airport and arrived in Pathanamthitta by helicopter at 9 am. From Pramadam, she traveled by a special Force Gurkha vehicle to Pampa, the base station of the Sabarimala shrine, becoming the first head of state to reach Sannidhanam by road. Traditional rituals, including the tying of the ‘Irumudi,’ were carried out at the Pampa Ganapathi temple before she proceeded along Swami Ayyappan Road to the shrine.
The decision to travel by vehicle was made considering the President’s health and security requirements in the hilly terrain. Heavy security arrangements were deployed at both Sabarimala and the base camp during her visit. Authorities are reviewing the incident, with allegations of a serious safety lapse due to the helicopter landing on freshly poured concrete.
