Anantapur: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's helicopter developed some technical snag while it was at the helipad in Narpala mandal headquarters in Anantapur district, disrupting his travel schedule on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister spent two hours at the helipad till he got the road clearance from Narpala to Puttaparthi airport and a convoy of vehicles was arranged for his onward journey.
The police stations between Narpala and Puttaparthi – a distance of more than 110 km - were alerted by both the Anantapur and Satya Sai district police to clear the traffic for the CM’s convoy.
Earlier, the Chief Minister reached Puttaparthi airport from Gannavaram on a special flight and arrived at Narpala by helicopter around 10.40 am. Ministers Botsa Satyanarayana and Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy as also Meruga Nagarjuna accompanied Jagan Mohan Reddy from Gannavaram. After a two-hour-long public meeting and interaction with students, the Chief Minister returned to the helipad at the high school ground around 1.10 pm.
When Jagan Mohan Reddy and his ministers were about to get into the helicopter, the pilot said he was unable to start the aircraft and suspected a technical defect. The police and other officials rushed to the helicopter.
CMO started making alternative arrangements like a convoy of vehicles and traffic clearance along the road for Jagan Mohan Reddy to reach Puttaparthi airport. The CM spent over two hours there, interacting with YSRC leaders and cadres. Sources said this was the third time the Chief Minister's helicopter experienced technical snags during the past four years.
Jagan Mohan Reddy and his ministers departed from Narpala helipad and reached Puttaparthi airport by 3.20 pm. From there, they flew to Gannavaram by a special aircraft.
This apart, security lapses were found after a group of farmers waylaid the CM’s convoy for a protest at Polthula Nagepalli village in Dharmavaram police sub-division, en route to Puttaparthi in Satya Sai district on Wednesday. The farmers from Pothula Nagepalli were awaiting compensation for the past four years after their lands were acquired for the state government housing scheme. They organised the protest when they came to know the CM was heading for Puttaparthi by road.
The villagers gathered on the main road and tried to present their grievance to the Chief Minister. Police tried to push them away and created space for the CM’s convoy to pass through.
