AGARTALA, July 24 (TIWN): State – owned Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited (PHHL) lone chopper service of Tripura is likely to get affected as CISF (Central Industries Security Force) will no longer carry security check up from September next said TIWN sources. Due to shortage of CISF personnel and work pressure they decided to provide security to PHHL till July 30, but it was extended for one month after Tripura government requested Union Ministry of Home Affairs still some alternative arrangements are made. To resolve the problem, Tripura government has convened a meeting on 26 July (Saturday) at secretariat. The meeting will be attended Chief Secretary Dr. S K Panda, GM of PHHL Sanjoy Kumar, DGP Nagaraj, Transport Secretary Kishore Ambuly and CISF senior official.

According to TIWN source state government may take up the security check of PHHL  if talks with CISF fails. PHHL helicopter has resumed to operation with double engine in Tripura from 2011. The service was suspended four years back with other north – eastern states after the tragic crash of single engine chopper   where Arunchal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and his four associates were killed.

India's lone national helicopter company, Pawan Hans has been operating services for nine years in the northeast, the union home ministry subsidising fares by up to 75%.At present helicopter service is provided at 21 centres in the state which is mainly a utility oriented service.When malaria epidemic broke out in the state the PHHL chopper was used extensively for airlifting medical team and medicines on war footing in remote areas.