A minor mishap occurred on Wednesday when a section of the helipad at Pramadam Stadium in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district partially collapsed as the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu touched down during her visit to the Sabarimala temple.
According to officials present at the site, the tarmac caved in moments after landing, causing one side of the helipad surface to sink slightly. Police, fire and rescue personnel, and members of the President’s security team immediately swung into action, manually pushing the chopper to a safer area.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and there was no damage to the aircraft. The incident did not pose any risk to the President, officials confirmed.
Swift Response Ensured Safety
Local authorities stated that the ground crew’s quick response helped avert a potential accident. “It was a minor sinking of the helipad surface due to soil instability underneath. The President’s safety was never compromised,” a district official said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a technical review to determine the cause of the collapse and to ensure the helipad’s structural integrity for future VVIP landings.
President Murmu’s Four-Day Visit to Kerala
President Murmu is on a four-day official visit to Kerala from October 21 to 24. She arrived at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on Tuesday, where she was received by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union Minister George Kurian.
During her stay, she is scheduled to:
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Offer prayers at Sabarimala Temple.
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Unveil the bust of former President K.R. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram.
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Attend the Mahasamadhi centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt.
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Participate in the Platinum Jubilee valedictory ceremony of St. Thomas College, Palai.
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Attend the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, on October 24.
Meanwhile, a BJP delegation led by state party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar met the President at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum raising public concerns, including issues related to the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Visit Continues as Planned
Despite the brief scare, the President’s schedule remained unaffected. The incident at Pramadam helipad was quickly resolved, allowing her to continue her official engagements safely.
Officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) have begun inspecting the helipad to identify any lapses in construction or maintenance that could have caused the partial collapse.
