BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Monday that the state government has decided to hire a chopper on a contract basis for ministers and other VVIPs.
Addressing reporters here, he said that a proposal in this regard has been pending before the government for several years. CM Siddaramaiah had asked him to take a decision on inviting tenders for the same. “I have directed the officials to look into the system in this regard in other states,” he added. Sources in the government said helicopters and special jets are now being hired on an hourly basis. At the meeting, it was decided to invite tenders to hire a chopper on a contract basis instead of hourly basis, they added.
At present, the government rents helicopters and planes at a cost of Rs 1 lakh per hour for ministers to tour the state. For Delhi visits, they mostly use commercial flights. The government now wants their travel to be more comfortable.
Experts have suggested that it would be better for Karnataka to buy its own chopper for around Rs 80 crore or a jet for around Rs 150 crore, as had been done by the Gujarat government, which purchased a Bombardier Challenger 650 aircraft for around Rs 190 crore six years ago. UP has Super King Air B 250 aircraft and a few choppers, Haryana recently purchased an aircraft for Rs 80 crore.
Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneeesh said, “The Monday’s meeting discussed only about hiring a chopper under the KTPP Act and not about purchasing an aircraft.’’
Another officer of the rank of secretary to the state government said, “The meeting was more about safety, transparency and security of VVIPs. As a nation, we have lost many VVIPs in air accidents. The Monday’s meeting discussed steps for better safety of VVIPs by ensuring all safety protocols.’’
Over a decade ago, the state purchased a sleek Eurocopter Dauphin N3. It gathered more dust than airtime and was quietly sold a few years later.
Capt Arvind Sharma said, “If we don’t use a chopper for about 25 hours a month, it doesn’t make any sense to buy one. It may be less burdensome to take a chopper on rent.
The challenge is not in acquisition, but in maintenance. During the 90s and early 2000, Karnataka owned a Dauphin chopper. But the chopper suffered damage when it was at HAL airport. I personally think owning a jet doesn’t make sense when there are more than 20 daily flights to New Delhi.’’ Supporters of the proposal argue that it is about efficiency and safety.
A state-owned helicopter could help ministers reach flood-hit or drought-hit areas swiftly. With 31 districts and rugged terrain, the case for faster mobility is strong. But the Opposition is not buying it. Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswami quipped, “In a state where people are struggling for basic amenities, should we give priority to netas’ air travel?”