Uttarakhand, ITBP ink MoU for use of ITBP helipads to boost tourism

The MoU was signed by senior officials of the Uttarakhand tourism development board and ITBP in the presence of chief secretary Radha Raturi

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to enable use of helipads under the border guarding force in an attempt to promote tourism in border areas.

The MoU was signed by senior officials of the Uttarakhand tourism development board and ITBP officials. Chief secretary Radha Raturi, ITBP inspector general Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal and Sachin Kurve, secretary, Uttarakhand government, were present on the occasion.

Raturi said that under the central government’s flagship project, the Vibrant Village Programme, priority was being given to the holistic development of villages in border areas.

“Providing resources for the livelihood of villagers is one of the main objectives. Heli services are being expanded in border areas by the Uttarakhand tourism development board to promote tourism. There are religious tourist destinations such as Adi Kailash, Om Parvat, Timmarsain Mahadev, and others located in Uttarakhand’s border areas, where tourists face difficulties due to inaccessible roads,” said Raturi.

Raturi added the ITBP helipads would also be used to evacuate patients to healthcare facilities and provide medicines to villagers in medical emergencies.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force is deployed at forward posts in three border districts of Uttarakhand: Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh.

On October 30, the Uttarakhand government signed another MoU with ITBP for the supply of sheep, goats, poultry, and trout fish to ITBP battalions stationed in border districts. The sale of local products is projected to generate an annual turnover of over ₹200 crore, said an official.