In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, part of a helipad collapsed seconds after President Droupadi Murmu’s helicopter landed in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. The accident happened at the Pramadam Stadium, or Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, which had been readied as a temporary landing spot for the President’s tour of the Sabarimala Temple.
Reports say that the helipad had been erected at the eleventh hour and was not properly conditioned when the presidential chopper landed. The moment the plane landed, one edge of the concrete base slightly collapsed under the weight of the helicopter, sending alarm signals to security and protocol personnel. Luckily, the pilot kept the plane stable, and rescue personnel moved with speed to stabilize the chopper and secure the safety of the president.
Government officials assured that President Murmu and all others who were accompanying her remained unscathed. The plane did not suffer significant damage and was tactfully shifted to a safe location immediately after the accident. Engineers and security personnel carried out an on-the-spot inspection, after which the president resumed her planned activities without interruption.
Early investigations indicate that the accident was due to the fact that the concrete surface of the helipad had not cured. According to experts, concrete takes a reasonable amount of time—several days—to harden and gain full load-bearing capacity. Here, the surface was allegedly laid only one day prior to the arrival, leaving room for procedural errors and poor planning. The authorities have initiated an investigation to establish culpability for the substandard construction. Kerala Public Works Department (PWD) and local administration officials are likely to present a detailed report in the near future. The state government is also considering revising procedures for VVIP landings to avoid such incidents in the future.
The near-miss incident has ignited public discussion on the readiness of local infrastructure for top-level visits. Numerous people have urged tighter engineering supervision and pre-stage site assessments prior to the authorization of any VVIP helicopter activities. Though nobody was harmed, the incident is a wake-up call for agencies responsible for coordinating state visits and maintaining safety compliance. In spite of the scare, President Murmu’s Kerala visit is on in accordance with the schedule, and extra security measures have been put in place for future travel schedules.
