Uttar Pradesh’s First Intra-District Helicopter Route | 27 Dec 2023
Why in News?
On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh inaugurated the state’s first intra-district helicopter service from Bateshwar in Agra to Goverdhan in Mathura.
- During the ceremony, a statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also unveiled.
Key Points
- The helicopter service is based on the Private-Public Partnership (PPP), which will be operated by a private company from Uttarakhand.
- Projects worth ₹100 crore are also inaugurated which aims at bringing new life to Bateshwar, a historical village located amid the ravines of Chambal across the borders of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
- Previously, a helicopter service was available for Goverdhan, a pilgrimage site in Mathura, but it flew within the district for pilgrims interested in lodging ‘parikrama’ (circumambulation) of the coveted Goverdhan hillock.
About Atal Bihari Vajpayee:
- He was born on 25th December 1924 in the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior.
- He was the former Prime Minister of India and was elected to the position twice in 1996 and 1999.
- He was conferred with the country's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna in 2015 and second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan in 1994.