Latest news with #KendraparaAutonomousCollege
New Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
CM Mohan Charan's chopper stranded on college ground departs to Mumbai on trailer truck
KENDRAPARA: After remaining grounded on the playground of Kendrapara Autonomous College for over a month due to technical snags, the helicopter used by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was taken to Mumbai for repair on a trailer truck on Wednesday. Sources said a team of aviation engineers first removed the blades of the helicopter and with the help of a JCB machine, lifted it on to the trailer truck for its journey to Mumbai by road. Operation manager of Mumbai-based Heligo Charters Private Ltd Kartik Chandra Dutta said, 'This helicopter was manufactured by German-based Airbus company. Keeping in mind the safety of helicopter and pilots, we decided to shift it by road. After reaching Mumbai, the helicopter will be repaired.' An aviation engineer, who was part of the team from Mumbai, said it would take 10 days to carry the helicopter to Mumbai from Kendrapara on road covering around 800 km. 'We will follow the chopper on two vehicles for its safe journey,' he added. During the chief minister's maiden visit to the district on June 9, his helicopter was struck by lightning amid incessant rains. Though Majhi landed safely at the temporary helipad on the college ground, he was forced to return from Kendrapara by road. Since then, the helicopter had been stranded on the college playground. Additional district magistrate of Kendrapara Rabindra Kumar Mallick said the helicopter developed some technical snags due to lightning. Three aviation engineers spent a week to repair it but could not succeed. 'The district administration swung into action after various media reports highlighted the delay in shifting the helicopter from the college ground,' he added.
New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Chopper used by CM Mohan Charan Majhi stranded on Kendrapara college playground for a month
KENDRAPARA: The helicopter used by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is gathering dust on the playground of Kendrapara Autonomous College for the last one month after it developed technical snags due to lightning. During the chief minister's maiden visit to the district on June 9, his helicopter was struck by lightning amid incessant rains. Though Majhi landed safely at the temporary helipad on the college ground, he was forced to return from Kendrapara by road. Since then, the helicopter has been stranded on the college playground, causing major inconvenience to students and locals. Requesting anonymity, a college teacher said for more than a month, the playground is not accessible to anyone. The ground has been barricaded while a police camp and fire service personnel with their vehicle are guarding the helicopter round the clock. All sports and cultural activities of the college have also been stopped since June 9 as the playground is out of bounds for people. Nagendra Das, a local, said, 'We used to walk on the playground every morning. We have abandoned our daily morning walk for the last one month as the ground is no more accessible to us.' Former principal of Kendrapara Autonomous College Nanda Kishor Parida said this is the only ground where the district administration organises major events such as the Pallishree Mela, Independence Day and Republic Day. 'The long occupancy of the chopper on the college ground is troubling everyone. We hope the officials will shift the helicopter to some other place soon,' he said. Contacted, additional district magistrate (ADM) of Kendrapara Rabindra Kumar Behera said the helicopter developed some technical snags due to lightning. Three aviation engineers spent a week to repair it but could not succeed. 'We are guarding the helicopter. The district administration has already informed the state government regarding the stranding of the chopper on the college playground. We hope the helicopter will leave Kendrapara soon after it is repaired,' the ADM added.
