Mumbai:
Planning a helicopter trip to the Shirdi temple? If so, you'd better plan it in advance.
Following intelligence inputs of a possible aerial attack on religious places, the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Trust has restricted the number of helicopter landings and take-offs at its three helipads to just one a day, said sources.
In October 2009, the trust got three helipads constructed about 3 km away from the temple to make access easy for pilgrims.
Until recently, there was no cap to the number of landings, making it convenient, especially to VIPs.
Since the helipads were thrown open to the public, pilgrims from different cities made 121 helicopter rides to the temple, and private operators did business to the tune of Rs 2 crore.
"We have cancelled four trips to Shirdi as there is no helipad for landing," said Ameya Gore, spokesperson for private chopper service operator Airnetz Aviation. "The helipad available with a private hotel here is not for commercial purpose."
Businessman Prakash Thakur was to fly to Shirdi on Tuesday with his family, but had to change his plan after landing permission was denied. "It took us almost two days to Shirdi and Shani Shingapur by road," said Thakur.
"Had the helipads been functional, we could have been able to visit both temples within 10 hours."
A Yadav, public relations officer of Shirdi Trust, could not be reached for comment.