Officials here today said that Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, a Government of India Undertaking with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, had been operating in NE states for the past few years but recently it became unreliable.
''We are hiring the choppers for VIP movements in distant locations of the state almost everyday. But it is a matter of concern as a Pawan Hans helicopter went missing with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister followed by another crash in Taiwan a fortnight before, which claimed 17 lives,'' the officials said.
Pawan Hans choppers operate with single engine and if anything happened in mid-sky, it does not have the back-up operating system.
The state transport authority has asked MHA to replace these with double engines besides, ensuring the regular maintenance and surveillance on requirements prescribed by Director General of Civil Aviation, the officials added.