Dehradun, Feb. 25 -- The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Department Authority (UCADA) plans to build helipads at portals of key mountain tunnels across the state to strengthen disaster management infrastructure, officials said on Tuesday. UCADA CEO Ashish Chauhan said aerial services played a crucial role in disaster management. "Road routes in mountainous areas are often blocked or time-consuming. In such situations, helicopter services can be a most effective means of delivering rapid relief. With this in mind, the department plans to develop helipads at the tunnel portals," he said. Officials said that helicopter services often emerge as the most effective and time-sensitive means of delivering emergency aid, evacuating stranded residents and pilgrims, transporting medical teams, and ensuring rapid deployment of disaster response forces. They added that the construction of the 125-kilometre Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Railway Project, 80% of whose alignment passes through underground tunnels in fragile, mountainous terrain, was a major impetus for the project.They also cited other projects, such as the Silkyara tunnel project in Uttarkashi, a portion of which collapsed and trapped 41 workers for 17 days in November 2023. "These tunnel entrances are typically situated at accessible yet secure points along the alignment, making them ideal nodes for coordinated disaster response operations," said a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The proposal aligns with the government's larger emphasis of improving connectivity and disaster preparedness. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had in July 2025 urged civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to formulate a separate aviation policy for hill states. "The policy should include provisions for special financial assistance, operational subsidies, suitable ATC (Air Traffic Control) networks for hill regions, accurate weather forecasting systems, dedicated flight slotting, and proactive disaster preparedness," he had said. Earlier, in 2023, the government approved a helipad and heliport policy which allowed helipads and heliports to be built on private land....