Pawan Hans proposal for country's first heliport now with DDA

A Pawan Hans proposal to build the country's first heliport on the eastern banks of Yamuna in Delhi has been forwarded by the ministry of civil aviation to the Delhi Development Authority. (See: Pawan Hans to start city heli-services) The heliport is planned near the Akshardham temple, and is scheduled to start operations before the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Pawan Hans has also identified an alternative site on the other side of the Nizamuddin Bridge. With a runway, a hangar and a departure / arrival terminal, the heliport needs 40 acres of land.

Once it's up and running, it would cost Rs15,000 to make a return trip from Delhi to Agra and back, including time to see the Taj Mahal, in just four hours. In fact, Pawan Hans plans Taj packages, which would also include pick and drop in taxis from homes or hotels in Delhi.

A part from Agra, Pawan Hans also wants to connect Delhi to Dehradun, Saharanpur, Jalandhar, Muzaffarnagar, and other cities. Pawan Hans chairman and managing director RK Tyagi said the heliport could start operations in six months of getting all the required clearances.