Regular chopper service connecting Lucknow with Kapilvastu & Prayagraj to start soon

Dedicated heliports would be set up to offer a range of services for the passengers and crew -- including waiting rooms and lounges, well-stocked cafeterias, crew rooms, toilets, and formal reception desks.

PRAYAGRAJ In an effort to provide a fillip to tourism in the region, efforts have begun to start regular helicopter service connecting Lucknow with Kapilvastu and Prayagraj. The two destinations -- Kapilvastu and Prayagraj -- are significant in the context of religious tourism.

The primary objective of the proposed heliports is to facilitate the movement of passengers between these three cities. (Representation only)

To this end, dedicated heliports would be set up to offer a range of services for the passengers and crew -- including waiting rooms and lounges, well-stocked cafeterias, crew rooms, toilets, and formal reception desks.

The U.P. Directorate of Tourism has already invited ‘Expression of Interest (EOI)’ for development, operations and maintenance of heliports at Lucknow, Kapilvastu (at Gorakhpur) and Prayagraj through private sector participation on lease and development basis. For this, a pre-bid meeting will be convened from 12 noon at Paryatan Bhawan, Lucknow, on July 24, said a senior U.P. Tourism department official.

The last date for submitting bids is August 7 while the technical bids are scheduled to be opened on August 8. “The primary objective of the proposed heliports is to provide a facility for helicopter operations in these regions, primarily to facilitate the movement of passengers between these three cities. The developers, however, will also be allowed to use the land for development of airstrip and its operation/maintenance for aero-sports, running aviation academy, or any other aviation-related activity as well,” the official added.

“The heliport would be developed as VFR (Visual Flight Rules) compliant facility. The authority will provide basic infrastructural space such as a landing space and parking of helicopters, refuelling yard, terminal building with facilities of check- in, security checking, baggage claim, ATC etc. The project site shall be handed over on as-is-where-is basis,” the RFQ stated.

It is worth mentioning that while state capital Lucknow, known as the City of Nawabs, is where an ardent traveller can enjoy a tryst with history, culture, shopping, fun, spirituality, food, leisure, and more, Prayagraj is home to Sangam, the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, revered by millions of Hindus and hosting annual Magh Melas, once-in six-year Kumbh and once-in-120-year Mahakumbh on its banks. There is also a range of temples and other sites of pilgrimage in Prayagraj.

Similarly, Kapilvastu is one of the districts of Province No 5 of Nepal where relics of Lord Buddha were found during excavation at Kapilvastu Stupa located 97 Km north of Gorakhpur, on the state highway-1A. Kapilvastu is now being developed as an International Buddhist Pilgrimage Centre. Here, Lord Buddha spent 29 years of his early life. There is big stupa, from where the relics of Buddha were discovered during excavations. Ruins of monasteries and palaces can also be seen at Ganvaria. Also, historical religious places of worship like the Shivling, Narahi, Kubernath and Palta Devi are temples of attraction here. The Narahi temple here is dedicated to Surya, the Sun god. It is built in the Konark style pattern.