Lucknow, June 8 -- In a major push towards disaser preparedness and emergency response, the Uttar Pradesh government will soon begin construction of helipads at the block and tehsil levels across the state. The infrastructure will also facilitate VIP movement and election-related travel ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls. A total of 736 new helipads will be built and 17 existing ones repaired over the next six months. The project follows Chief minister Yogi Adityanath's directive to establish helipads near every block, tehsil and district headquarters. "PWD has prepared a detailed action plan for the project," said Ashok Dwivedi, head of Department and engineer-in-chief (Planning), Public Works Department. According to officials, the state requires more than 900 helipads. The new facilities will be strategically located to improve access to rural areas and will be connected to state highways and expressways. Multiple helipads are planned in each district, with the distance between two facilities kept below 40 km. Each helipad will be built on a 100-metre-by-100-metre plot provided by district administrations and will cost around Rs 1 crore. The work is expected to be completed before the 2027 Assembly elections. Officials said the helipads would prove crucial during natural disasters, medical emergencies and other crisis situations by enabling faster rescue and relief operations. Private individuals and institutions will also be allowed to use the facilities on payment of prescribed charges....