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| At indomitable heights of Siachen, Indian Army builds a helipad to facilitate troops | |  Partap pur (Siachen Base), October 22, (Scoop News)-Asserting itself as an emerging military power in the region, Indian army has built a helipad on the glacier at an elevation of about 17,000 feet above the sea level near an army post, a senior army official, seeking not to be named, told Scoop News on Thursday.
“Our dedicated military engineers have made it possible and had proven their ability in a glaciated area after over three decades of operation Meghdoot. It is a significant achievement for all of us here.
Militarily, operating of helicopter service between Thoise and Kumar post is going to transform entire outlook of our troops”, he added.
Indian army decided to stay put on icy heights of Siachen where temperature plummets below 60 degree below freezing pont during winter under Operation Meghdoot on April 13, 1984.
The two opposing armies of India and Pakistan used to exchange heavy artillery, mortar and heavy machine gun fire almost on regular s n basis on these heights. But, since November 25, 2003, the two sides decided to hold a ceasefire across Indo Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir including Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) on Siachen.
“The (helicopter) service will enable us a quick deployment, urgent evacuation and fresh supplies for our troops”, he said adding that it will be, obviously, a force multiplier at these indomitable heights.
“No ropes, aluminum s n bridges, wading through knee deep snow or ice now needed for reaching up to the forward post. However, these things will continue to be the part of our regular exercises”, the officer remarked.
Braving all odds, ‘Siachen Poineers’, a fleet of small cheeta helicopters, are at present rendering “wonders” for the army in forward areas of the world’s highest battle ground by undertaking huge responsibilities in sustaining the troops deployment there.
“The only problem with them (Cheeta) is that they have a limited capacity for transportation of men and material up to a certain altitude and not beyond”, he said adding “our aviation scientists are working overtime these days for indigenous alternatives as a replacement for it”.
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