India to construct helipads along three major highways

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced plans to construct helipads along major roads to improve access for HEMS providers, at a conference hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on 14 December.

Under the plans, 36 new helipads will be constructed along three major transport corridors through the Regional Air Connectivity Scheme: Mumbai – Pune, in the state of Maharashtra; Begumpet – Shamsabad, in Telangana; and Ahmedabad – Gandhinagar, in Gujarat. So far, six helipads have been commissioned.

Scindia said that: “I am working with the road transport ministry to try and see if helipads can be developed along major highways, especially in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities. So that in case of any accident, we can evacuate people through helicopters.”

In addition to offering improved access for HEMS operators, the plans are intended to stimulate growth in India’s helicopter and HEMS sectors. The plans will be implemented alongside new, simplified government policies for helicopter operators, which are also intended to realize the potential of the sector.

At present, less than one helipad is available per district. There are also currently around 250 helicopters operating in India, of which 181 are used by non-scheduled operators, serving a population of 1.38 billion. This includes three Advanced Light Helicopters delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to the Indian Coast Guard in June 2021.