Jhargram to get helipad to improve air connectivity

Kolkata: The state government has decided to construct a helipad in the newly set up district of Jhargram to improve air-connectivity.

According to a senior official of the state Public Works Department (PWD), they have started taking necessary steps to ensure that the work to set up the helipad can be started as early as possible.

The district authorities have been urged to identify the plot where the helipad will be set up. It is learnt that the district authorities have started the work for identification of the land as per the specifications of the state PWD.

Jhargram was declared a new district in April and since then various steps were taken to ensure development of necessary infrastructure as required in a district.

After coming to power, the Chief Minister had given direction to improve connectivity between districts. Besides improving the road connectivity, the administration had also started taking steps to improve the air-connectivity.

Air-strips including a few in North Bengal were improved and at the same time, steps have been taken to construct helipads

in districts.

So far more than 26 helipads have been constructed by the state government in districts. The places where helipads have been developed include Digha, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Midnapore, Behala, Jaigaon, Dumurjola, Chalsha, Balurghat, Basirhat, Shantiniketan, Cooch Behar, Bankura, Canning, Malda, Behrampore, Krishnanagar, Charrah, Bongaon, Sagar, Jhargram, Haldia, Arambagh, and Chinsurah. Helipads have also been constructed at Mukutmanipur and Falakata.

Helicopter service has also improved the connectivity between the city and North Bengal. People who need to rush to the city with patients for treatment could also avail the service.

It had also been started from Kolkata to different parts of the state and it includes one from the city to the Digha, which has come up as one of the favourite tourist destination in the state.

The helicopter service in the state has been taken up to ensure development of the tourism sector in the state and at the same time the people use the service to reach Kolkata from North Bengal within a short span of time for medical purposes.