The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has embarked on a landmark project to construct the city's inaugural ground-level helipad. Located strategically in Phase-8, the facility is rising on a vacant plot directly opposite the GMADA office and in front of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department building.
Project Details and Swift Construction
With an allocated budget of approximately Rs 50 lakh, the helipad is being developed over an area of about 1,000 square metres. GMADA Chief Administrator Sakshi Sahni confirmed that this marks the first such ground-level helipad for Mohali. She clarified that the project is a temporary installation, built following directives from the Deputy Commissioner's office, and will be dismantled at a later stage.
The construction contract has been awarded to a private company, which is working at a rapid pace. Officials stated that work has been ongoing round the clock for the past three days to meet the urgent deadline, with completion targeted for the coming Monday. The site is currently secured with barbed wire fencing.
Exclusive Access and Reported Purpose
The helipad will have restricted access, reserved exclusively for the movement of Very Important Persons (VIPs), and will not be open for public use. This development follows the recent renovation of the rest house within the adjacent Rural Development and Panchayats Department building, which was prepared for potential stays by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Sources indicate that the new helipad is being constructed primarily to facilitate smoother travel for Kejriwal and other dignitaries during their visits to Mohali, providing a direct and convenient landing point near the official premises.
Construction Methodology
The base of the helipad is being prepared using cement tiles, as per details shared by sources familiar with the project. The focus is on creating a stable and level surface suitable for helicopter operations within the designated 1,000 sq m area of the vacant plot in Phase-8.
