Dimapur, 12 July (MTNews): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio inaugurated a new Helicopter Service at Dimapur Airport on Wednesday, 12 July. The service aims to provide affordable and efficient transportation options while catering to the welfare needs of the population.
During his address, Rio highlighted the cost-effectiveness of helicopter travel and urged Thumby Aviation Pvt. Ltd. to deliver exceptional services while ensuring the regular distribution of schedules. He emphasized the importance of maintaining two operational helicopters—one dedicated to meeting the needs of the sick and elderly—and stressed the necessity of chopper services for VVIP visits and the movement of VIPs and officials in remote areas. Rio also expressed his desire for helicopter services to be available during the renowned Hornbill festival, providing tourists with the opportunity to explore the picturesque Dzukou Valley.
With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Nagaland and Thumby Aviation Pvt. Ltd. for an additional four years, Chief Minister Rio expressed optimism that the company, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), would be better equipped to serve the people of the state.
Shikaho P Yepthomi, the General Manager of the Nagaland State Transport (NST), highlighted the history of helicopter services in the state. Initially introduced in 1988, the services were discontinued following an unfortunate crash in February 1989. However, they were reintroduced in 2007 due to the personal initiative of Neiphiu Rio. Owing to the high demand for the service, the government has taken proactive steps in collaboration with the MHA, increasing the annual flying hours from 480 to 600 for the benefit of the public.
CMD of the Aviation Co., Captain KNG Nair, shared details about the new helicopter service. The company will operate with two Bell 412 Helicopters, with an additional A109 chopper kept on standby. Nair further informed that each aircraft has a seating capacity of 13 passengers, along with two pilots, and a baggage compartment capable of carrying approximately 400 pounds of cargo.
Thumby Aviation Pvt. Ltd. has been operating in Nagaland since 2010, initially on a two-year contract basis with one helicopter. However, due to the increasing demand for their services, the company has been operating with two helicopters since 2010. The recently signed four-year MOU with the Government of Nagaland, spanning from 26 June 2023 to 26 June 2027, further solidifies their commitment to serving the state.
The flagging-off ceremony was attended by Advisor Transport, GoN, Temjenmemba; Airport Director Geetha Sahu; OSD Transport and Aviation, Ababe Ezung, officials from the NST Department, and other dignitaries.
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while looking for a related topic, your website came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Thank you!