A portion of a newly built helipad collapsed in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district on Wednesday after the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu landed on it. The wheels of the chopper got stuck in the soft concrete at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, where the President arrived after visiting the Sabarimala temple.
What was the Issue?
Officials said the helipad was built at the last minute, and the concrete had not completely set. As a result, it could not bear the weight of the helicopter. “The stadium was chosen as the location for landing the helicopter at the last moment, and therefore, the helipad was created there late on Tuesday,” a senior police officer told PTI.
The helipad surface partially caved in just moments after the chopper touched down. Visuals from the scene showed the helicopter tilting to one side while security and fire personnel rushed to assist.
#WATCH | Kerala: A portion of the helipad tarmac sank in after a chopper carrying President Droupdi Murmu landed at Pramadam Stadium. Police and fire department personnel deployed at the spot physically pushed the helicopter out of the sunken spot. pic.twitter.com/QDmf28PqIb
— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2025
Police, fire, and ground staff worked together to free the helicopter. The footage showed several people pushing and pulling the aircraft to lift it out of the depression. After a few minutes of effort, the helicopter was successfully stabilized and cleared from the damaged surface.
Officials confirmed that everyone on board, including President Murmu, was safe. There were no reports of injuries or damage to the aircraft.
Landing Site Changed Due to Weather
Authorities said the President’s helicopter was originally supposed to land at Nilackal near Pamba. However, the location was changed to Pramadam at the last moment due to poor weather conditions. Because of the last-minute change, a new helipad had to be built overnight at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Due to the hurried construction, the concrete had not fully dried by the time the helicopter arrived on Wednesday morning, which caused the partial collapse.
No Major Damage Reported
Officials from the Indian Air Force and local police later inspected the site to ensure the helipad was safe for future use. They confirmed that the President’s helicopter did not suffer any major damage.
The incident raised concerns about the quality and timing of last-minute preparations during high-level visits. However, authorities emphasized that prompt action by security and ground staff prevented any serious mishap.
President Murmu’s Kerala tour will continue as planned, with no changes to her schedule.
