In what might be termed as a setback to the Maharashtra government, it is yet to find bidders for Sikorsky helicopter which was used for Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis’ visits before. The Sikorsky helicopter crash landed at Nilanga in Latur district on May 25, 2017.
According to Hindustan Times, the Maharashtra government had decided to sell the chopper after the crash. The Sikorsky helicopter was bought for Rs 54 crore and was severely damaged during the crash. The third and the latest bidding process for the six-seater United States-made Sikorsky S76C concluded on Saturday.
“The bids were opened on Friday, but no bidder participated in it. The onus lies on state to decide if they want to extend the date for submitting the bids,” a senior government official told the Hindustan Times. The Sikorsky helicopter has not been used since the Latur mishap and the officials have said that the repair cost will be around Rs 15 crore. The government is now thinking of extending the date for the bidding process. Uday Gelli, president of non-profit professional society Rotary Wings Society of India (RWSI) told the Hindustan Times, “The helicopter may not find a buyer in India. The state would have to advertise on international platforms to find interested parties.”
The helicopter has been used for a total of 1265 hours since its purchase in 2011 by the state government. All the four main rotor blades of the copter are damaged and had sheared off after the impact of the accident, reported DNA.
