Helipad sinks as Indian president Murmu's chopper lands in Kerala

Bangla Press Desk:  A portion of the newly concreted helipad tarmac in Kerala's Pramadam sank after the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu landed on it during her visit to the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday.

After President Murmu left by road for Pamba, the foothills of Sabarimala, via road, several policemen and fire force personnel were seen pushing the wheels of the Indian Air Force's Mi-17 chopper out of the small depressions at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Pramadam was fixed as the location for landing at the last moment, and the helipad was created there late on Tuesday, a senior police officer said.

The landing was originally planned at Nilackal near Pamba, but it was changed to Pramadam due to bad weather.

"The concrete had not set completely, and therefore, it could not handle the helicopter's weight when it landed, and depressions were formed where the wheels touched the ground," the officer said.

She arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday evening for a four-day official visit to Kerala.

President Murmu To Offer Prayers At Sabarimala Temple

President Murmu will offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on Wednesday.

She is the first woman head of state to visit the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala for offering prayers. She is also the second president to visit the shrine after former president VV Giri, who visited Sabarimala in the 1970s.

After the Sabarimala darshan, she will return to Thiruvananthapuram in the evening. On Thursday, she will unveil a bust of former President KR Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan.

Later, she will inaugurate the Mahasamadhi Centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at the Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala and attend the valedictory function of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St Thomas College in Pala, Kottayam district.

President Murmu will conclude her Kerala visit on 24 October by attending the centenary celebrations of St Teresa's College in Ernakulam.

BP/SP