By Arun Pratap Singh
my uttarakhand news Bureau
DEHRADUN, 6 Dec: The heli-service connecting Dehradun with Tehri, Srinagar and Gauchar was formally inaugurated on Saturday, marking a significant step towards strengthening air connectivity in Uttarakhand. The service is expected to provide considerable relief to residents of the hill districts while facilitating swift response in key areas such as tourism, medical emergencies, trade and disaster management. The inaugural flight, operated by Heritage Aviation, departed from Dehradun Airport at about 10 am Saturday and flew over the Tehri Lake region and Srinagar before landing smoothly at the Gauchar helipad. Clear weather aided the completely trouble-free journey, and the maiden flight carried four passengers who expressed satisfaction and enthusiasm over the new facility, while the return flight to Dehradun also carried four passengers.
Heritage Aviation officials, including General Manager Manish Bhandari and Assistant Manager Operations Abhilash Patwal, informed that the helicopter will operate twice daily on this route, with flights scheduled from Dehradun at around 10 am and 2:30 pm. They stated that the fare from Srinagar to Tehri and Gauchar will be Rs 1,000, while the fare from Srinagar to Dehradun will be Rs 3,000 plus GST. They added that the service will operate regularly even with a low number of passengers or none at all, as the objective is to assure the public that the facility is dependable and not merely symbolic. The continuity of operations is expected to build public confidence and encourage wider use of the service.
The local residents in the hills as well in Dehradun have welcomed the launch, observing that road travel in the hills is often lengthy and strenuous. They noted that the heli-service will substantially reduce travel time, ease the transfer of patients to major hospitals during emergencies and provide fresh momentum to tourism in the region.
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