Signalling an acceleration of restoration works at Kedarnath, the biggest load carrier 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. “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.
With the possibility of delivering heavy machinery to Kedarnath by Mi-26, the pace of work, including demolition of dilapidated buildings, removal of large boulders and flood-protection works, will gain momentum.
Kedarnath became synonymous with the June 2013 Uttarakhand deluge. The tourism industry in the State suffered after the deluge and to revive tourism in the State, the reconstruction of Kedarnath has become essential for the State government.