CM's helicopter parked at Haryana stadium, athletes left without access
What's the story
Athletes training at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurugram lost access to the facility for four days after a helicopter for Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was parked inside the stadium grounds. The chopper was parked there because Saini had gone to Singapore for a three-day visit. He was scheduled to take the helicopter back to Chandigarh once he returned to Gurugram.
Parking rationale
Helipad unavailability leads to use of stadium
However, since Gurugram doesn't have a state or civil aviation ministry helipad, and parking at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi would have meant extra charges, the chopper was parked within the stadium premises, India Today reported.
When the channel reached out to the district sports officer in Gurugram for clarification on why athletes were denied access, the officer said that the operations of the facility are under the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).
Responsibility debate
Responsibility for the decision remains unclear
A question posed to the stadium complex manager further revealed that if CM's office requested parking, there was little they could do against it.
The conflicting statements left the responsibility of the decision unclear. While the district sports office pointed to GMDA, the stadium complex manager said it was at the request of CM's office.
Meanwhile, Saini's media advisor told TOI that the chopper was there due to a machinery glitch, not as a standby measure.
Facility usage
Regular occurrence at the stadium
The incident has raised concerns among athletes and coaches over the use of a sports facility for VIP helicopter operations.
TOI reported that this isn't an isolated incident, with a helicopter being parked at the stadium for a day or two almost every month.
Local athletes and coaches told India Today that helicopter operations are a regular occurrence at the stadium. They said it remains closed to them for around two days every month due to such movements.