President Murmu’s Helipad Sinks in Kerala During Sabarimala Visit

In an unexpected incident, a portion of the helipad at Pramadam sank when President Droupadi Murmu’s helicopter landed during her official visit to Kerala on Wednesday. The Indian Air Force’s Mi-17 chopper touched down on the newly concreted helipad, which was unable to support its weight, causing visible depressions at the landing site. The helipad sank, prompting police and fire personnel to manually stabilize the helicopter before it was safely moved.

The helipad landing location was changed at the last moment from Nilackal near Pamba to Pramadam due to bad weather. Officials confirmed that the concrete had not fully set on the helipad, which made it vulnerable to the weight of the helicopter. “The depressions were formed where the wheels touched the ground because the concrete was still curing,” said a senior police officer involved in managing the landing. Despite the unexpected sinking of the helipad, President Murmu’s visit continued without further disruption.

President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday evening for a four-day official visit to Kerala. During the visit, she is set to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, marking her as the first woman head of state to perform the sacred darshan at the temple. She also becomes the second president after former President VV Giri, who visited Sabarimala in the 1970s. The President’s Kerala visit has been closely followed, highlighting both her historic pilgrimage and the security arrangements in place.

Following her darshan at Sabarimala, President Murmu will return to Thiruvananthapuram in the evening. Her itinerary includes unveiling a bust of former President KR Narayanan at Raj Bhavan, inaugurating the Mahasamadhi Centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala, and attending the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas College in Pala, Kottayam district. She will conclude her Kerala visit on October 24 by attending the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa’s College in Ernakulam.

The helipad incident has sparked widespread attention on social media, with visuals showing the helicopter stuck briefly in the sunken tarmac. Authorities have reassured the public that the sinking caused no harm to the President or the crew. The Pramadam helipad sinking has prompted discussions on the need for timely construction and inspection of temporary landing facilities, especially for high-profile visits like that of the President.

Despite the helipad sinking, security and ceremonial arrangements ensured a smooth continuation of President Murmu’s official engagements. Officials have confirmed that lessons learned from this incident will be used to strengthen future helipad infrastructure for state and national-level dignitary visits.