MLA brings joy to villagers with free chopper ride day

A helicopter ride is always coveted and memorable—irrespective of the age or economic status of a person. And for many villagers in the Hosadurga taluk, Wednesday became memorable as they got to enjoy their maiden helicopter ride.

The occasion, organised by MLA Goolihatti D Shekhar at Hindidevarahatti in the taluk, was to provide dream-come-true opportunities for the villagers who have only seen helicopters as tiny specks in the sky.

As many as 120 people utilised the opportunity, with the ride, for most of them, being the first air travel of their lives.

Those who couldn’t enjoy it on Wednesday need not be disappointed. They could avail the opportunity when a similar chopper ride day would be organised on June 4 – 5 between 11 am and 5 pm.

People—from various hoblis of the taluk Matthoddu, Maadadakere, Srirampura—thronged the helipad after they came to know of the MLA’s plan

For each ride, only six people were permitted on board, and they were given a pass. After each such ride and the passengers had alighted, the next batch of six people would be allowed to climb aboard. And their joy couldn’t be contained as despite instructions to the otherwise, the villagers kept taking selfies during their chopper ride—with grinning faces and beaming eyes—to share among themselves.

According to MLA Shekhar, most of the people in the taluk were from backward classes and had not ever boarded an airplane or helicopter in their life. He just wanted to give those villagers an opportunity to enjoy the picturesque backwater of Vedavathy river and the hills in the taluk, from a different vantage point.

One of the residents of Madadakere village, Rangaswamy expressed his gratitude to MLA.

“When we were boys, we used to come out of our houses to see the helicopters or planes when they passed over our village. We never thought we could get to enjoy a helicopter ride once in our lifetime. But the MLA made it possible,” he said.