The helicopter service announced by a private party to Sabarimala Ayyappa temple has landed in legal trouble with the Kerala High Court taking serious note of the matter.
A private helicopter service firm gave widespread publicity to an offer to provide helicopter service to Sabarimala from Kochi as the two-month-long pilgrimage season began last week. The rate per person was Rs 29,500 excluding taxes and two daily trips were announced to Nilackal base camp, around 15 km from Pamba.
A bench of the High Court on Saturday pulled up the private firm for allegedly not obtaining the required nods for operating to Nilackal. The firm was asked to submit all details.
Travancore Devaswom Board president K Anandagopan recently said at a press conference that any private parties could operate helicopters to Nilackal, by paying the prescribed landing charges to the board. Industrialists or other such persons use helicopter by paying the prescribed charges.
Earlier, the Devaswom Board had tried to engage a helicopter service but it could not find a suitable operator meeting its conditions.
(Published 20 November 2022, 13:20 IST)
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