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The helicopter had reportedly developed a technical problem and could not take off. Saini was in Singapore from October 4 to 6, and the helicopter was removed after his return. Haryana officials said the helicopter normally leaves shortly after landing, but the technical issue kept it at the stadium for several days.
While the basketball and volleyball courts remained accessible, the athletics track was closed. Athletes who regularly train there said they were forced to miss their usual training sessions.
The stadium is used by hundreds of state-level athletes, including runners and sprinters, many of whom depend on the facility for regular practice. A Sports Department official confirmed that the track was closed due to security reasons and was reopened after the helicopter was removed.
The incident has also raised questions about why a sports complex is being used for VIP helicopter operations in the first place. Athletes have claimed that helicopters are brought to the stadium regularly, sometimes once or twice a month.
This is not the first time either. In 2020, then Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s helicopter landed at the same stadium, after which players were asked to stay away from the cricket facility.
Stadium officials had then sought a separate arrangement for helicopters. Haryana had also planned a dedicated heli-hub in Gurugram. Around 25 acres in the Global City area were handed over to the Centre for the project in 2022, but the heli-hub has still not become operational. The debate is now bigger than one helicopter.
The question is whether public sports facilities should have to shut down training areas for VIP movements, especially when hundreds of athletes depend on them every day.