Jaypee looks at helicopters for emergency medical services

BREAKING

Neelam Mathews

April 25, 2011

Time: 9:10 PM IST

Organisers and builders of the Formula One Grand Prix racetrack called the Buddh International Circuit under construction near Greater Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi, Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) is planning to operate three helicopters solely for emergency medical services for the week of Oct 24.

JPSI has signed an agreement with Fortis Hospitals for emergency aid. The helicopters are likely to be leased from Pawan Hans.

The company expects to receive 15,000 visitors from abroad. “”For this we are tying up with the Delhi International Airport to (extend) hospitality…..around 4000 rooms that were to be ready for the Commonwealth Games, can now be gainfully  used for F1 guests,” said Sameer Gaur, managing director and CEO, Jaypee Sports.

Helicopter operators in India have been proposing the launch of such a service in India for years. While the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already issued guidelines for developing HEMS (helicopter emergency medical services) facilities for constructing make-shift helipads and rules on standards, especially relating to noise pollution when operating near hospitals, are still to be decided.

Using helicopters for rescue and medical transportation saves time and reduces risk. Recently in Nepal six mountaineers were saved by a Eurocopter HEMS helicopter when they were trapped at 6900m altitude.

JPSI is a subsidiary of Jaiprakash Associates. The 5.14km circuit has been designed by German architect Herman Tilke, who has earlier designed world-class racing circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, Indonesia, the UAE, South Africa, South Korea and the U.S.

“For us, it’s important that the user experience for spectators should be worldclass in every respect. We are sure we will be able to deliver services that match not just our expectations but also the expectations of scores of F1 fans in India and abroad,” says Gaur.

“Due to a strong international fan base, not only would the hotel and tourism industry get an immediate boost, the country’s profile, too, would get a boost,” adds Gaur.