Chennai: What news of the TN government’s helicopter purchased during the rule of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and used by the Chief Minister extensively? Some reports suggest it is parked at the Chennai airport and efforts to sell it have not succeeded yet.
Sources said the chopper, Bell 412 EP, bought in the year 2006 on the orders of the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, has not been used by her successors and is parked in the airport while the government tried selling it through an e-tender with minimum price fixed at Rs 35 crore. The chopper has done only 2,500 hours of flying and a new one could cost Rs 63-65 crore, it is said.
With no one evincing interest for this US-made helicopter, which is rated as one of the best in the world as a “daily workhorse that reliably performs in some of the most extreme climates”, the govt has once again announced sale through the tender process and has not fixed any upset price.
