State govt stops CM’s travel by helicopter till the probe is over
Following the near mishap involving Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ chopper on Friday at Alibaug, the civil aviation department of the state government has decided to suspend all VIP travel by helicopters. A probe is underway to find out how the CM’s chopper had taken off just as Fadnavis was about to board it.
The chief minister was on his way back to Mumbai from Alibaug in Raigad district when the incident occurred. This is the second such mishap involving Fadnavis and his chopper.
The Director General of Civil Aviation has already begun investigating the mishap. Questions are being asked as to how the pilot managed to fly to Mumbai with the CM even after the incident.
It has now come to light that the copter that carried Fadnavis to Alibaug on Friday was the one that was scrapped by the Uttar Pradesh state government. And the same agency provides chopper services to the Maharashtra government.
“We have decided to suspend helicopter operations for the CM until the probe is completed,” said Captain Sanjay Karve, director of the state civil aviation department.
“Fadnavis and other ministers will have to use government-owned planes and not choppers,” said an officer. Another official from the Chief Minister’s Office wondered how this is possible since Fadnavis is required to travel throughout the state and even make trips to remote areas.