Signalling an acceleration of restoration works at Kedarnath, one of the biggest load carriers of the Indian Air Force, the Mi-26 helicopter, landed in the hill town on Tuesday.
“This is the first time that the Mi-26 has landed in a narrow valley like Kedarnath at an altitude of 11,600 feet. This is potentially the highest landing in a civil environment made by such a large helicopter,” said Colonel Ajay Kothiyal, Principal of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), who is heading a team of 240 men from the Uttarkashi-based institute in the restoration. The helicopter, which is operated by a 26-member IAF team, will deliver 125 tonnes of load to Kedarnath.
Delivering equipmentADVERTISEMENT
“The equipment that will be delivered includes five hydraulic load carrier dumpers, two JCB-3DX, three Poclain machines, two snow-blowers and one Hydra Lift crane,” Col. Kothiyal said.
Construction of a 150x50-metre helipad for the Mi-26, which will deliver load from Gauchar to Kedarnath, began on August 18 last year and the work was completed on December 26.