The East Singhbhum administration will set up over two dozen helipads in various places ahead of the Lok Sabha election, which is slated to take place here on May 12.

In all, 32 helipads, several of them having night landing facility, will be set up mostly in Ghatshila subdivision.

East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amit Kumar said the helipads would be set up as part of the election management exercise in the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha constituency that comprises the remote areas bordering Bengal on one side and Odisha on the other.

“The helipads will be set up mainly for the movement of security forces during a period of emergency. At some of the polling booths, polling officers and poll materials will be carried in choppers,” Kumar told The Telegraph, , adding that work on the construction of the helipads will start soon.

Kumar, who is also the district electoral officer, said the helipads were needed for smooth conduct of the poll process and the locations had been identified after a meticulous survey.

He said the district administration had also taken adequate measures to ensure hassle-free campaigning by leaders of various political parties in the remote areas of the district.

“To facilitate public meetings in remote areas, we have identified 16 additional strategic spots for setting up helipads. However, the helipads have to be set up by the political parties who want to organise meetings in the remote areas,” the DC pointed out.

Kumar said earlier whenever any senior political leader used to hold a meeting in remote areas, the district administration had to make the security arrangements well in advance.

“Now, we have identified 16 suitable locations for helipads. A political party just needs do inform the district administration about the arrival of its leaders just an hour before the meeting,” Kumar said.