Helicopter Meant for Anti-Naxal Operations in Gadchiroli Laid Idle for 17 Months Maharashtra’s government faced criticism for its handling of a helicopter procured for anti-Naxal operations in Gadchiroli, which remained grounded for nearly 17 months after its delivery due to delays in appointing a maintenance agency. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) highlighted this issue in its latest report, revealing that the state’s failure to secure a certified maintenance provider led to significant financial and operational setbacks. The helicopter, an Airbus H-145 (registration VT-GOV), was procured by the Directorate of Aviation in July 2019 for Rs82.78 crore. Delivered on September 18, 2019, the aircraft completed its acceptance test flight on September 25, 2019. However, the Directorate of Aviation failed to finalize a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) agency approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) before the helicopter’s delivery. As a result, the aircraft could not undergo mandatory maintenance and was placed under short-term preservation by the manufacturer from September 26, 2019. The MRO agency, M/s Indamer Aviation Pvt Ltd, was appointed only on July 13, 2020—nearly 10 months after the helicopter’s delivery. By this time, the prolonged lack of maintenance had rendered the aircraft unfit for immediate operations, necessitating a costly return-to-service (RTS) procedure. After obtaining DGCA approval in September 2020, the MRO agency conducted extensive restoration work, including multiple engine ground runs and test flights, which continued until December 1, 2020. The Directorate of Aviation spent Rs2.07 crore on the RTS process.#maharashtra_government #gadchiroli #directorates_of_aviation #cag_report #indamer_airways
