Heavy Rain Forces Amit Shah's Helicopter to Divert to Tambaram IAF Station

Chennai, September 15: A sudden spell of heavy rain on Sunday afternoon compelled the diversion of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's helicopter from Chennai airport to the Air Force Station at Tambaram, officials said. The Minister was scheduled to arrive at the Chennai airport from Puducherry in an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter at 3.26 p.m., according to a statement from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

However, due to adverse weather conditions, the helicopter carrying Mr. Shah and another accompanying helicopter could not land at the airport. Both were redirected to the nearby IAF station, where they landed safely. The police subsequently informed the AAI that Mr. Shah would travel to the airport by road. He later departed for New Delhi from the airport in an IAF aircraft at 4.54 p.m.

The AAI statement noted that despite the diversion, the subsequent road movement and departure from Chennai Airport were carried out smoothly. “Despite the diversion of the helicopters, subsequent road movement and departure from Chennai Airport were carried out smoothly,” the statement read.

Such diversions are not uncommon during the northeast monsoon season, when Chennai receives heavy and intermittent rainfall. The city has been experiencing intense showers over the past few days, with the Regional Meteorological Centre predicting more rain in the coming hours. The diversion was a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the Minister and the crew, as landing in poor visibility and strong winds can be hazardous.

The Air Force Station at Tambaram, located about 20 kilometres from the city centre, is often used as an alternative landing site for VIP movements when weather conditions at the main airport deteriorate. The coordination between the AAI, police, and the IAF ensured minimal disruption to the Minister's schedule.

Mr. Shah was in Puducherry to attend a series of official programmes. His visit to Chennai was part of his scheduled engagements in southern India. The smooth handling of the situation highlights the preparedness of security and aviation agencies to deal with weather-related contingencies.

Chennai airport, one of the busiest in southern India, has standard operating procedures for such diversions. The AAI and the air traffic control team monitor weather updates continuously and take decisions in consultation with the pilots and security agencies. In this instance, timely action ensured that the Minister's travel remained unaffected despite the weather challenge.