New Delhi, August 13, 2009 – Global Vectra Helicorp Limited, with its Birdie division, is launching a helicopter service to Hemkunt Sahib, in the Himalayas, from August to September.

For eight months of the year, Hemkunt Sahib, one of the most popular pilgrimage centres of Sikhism, is inaccessible. When the monsoon rains begin and the ice and snow melt at this high altitude, pilgrims climb the steep mountains to the spot where the tenth Sikh Guru meditated and realized his oneness with God.

It takes seven days to do this pilgrimage. Nowadays, it is hard for one to get a week off from work to go on this trip. However, thanks to Birdie, devotees can perform the pilgrim to Hemkunt Sahib in only three days.

This is the itinerary:

• On the first day, you will go by Road to Srinagar/Rudraprayag, Uttrakhand.
• Nest day, you can travel by car for 65 km to Gauchar in Chamoli district of Uttrakhand. From there, you will travel by helicopter (AS 350 B3) to Ghagaria (Govind Ghat)- you can travel 6kms distance to Hemkunt Sahib by trek, if required a pony will help to ease the Journey. You will witness, a place of spectacular beauty, an icy lake surrounded by seven imposing mountains. After you have worshipped at Hemkunt Sahib, Birdie will take you back to Gauchar. You will spend the night in Srinagar.
• On the third day, you will return to Delhi.

Thanks to Birdie, this amazing pilgrimage centre will be accessible to people who are not in a condition to undertake a four-day trek through inhospitable terrain.

In the first phase, GVHL aims to cover locations like Hemkunt Sahib, Badrinath, and Kedarnath.

Mr Sujay Sumbh, Senior Vice President, GVHL, Birdie Division, described the company’s plans: “We will be starting similar hubs in other major metros around India. These will act as regional hubs, with dedicated helicopters and with our own captive facilities, aimed at developing similar operations across the country.”

GVHL already has started receiving enquiries for the chartering of their helicopter for this shuttle service. We are actively seeking tie-ups with hotels, travel agents, corporations, and event organizers for harnessing the demand for our services.

About Global Vectra Helicorp Limited
GVHL is India’s largest private helicopter company, with a fleet of 29 aircraft, including Bell Helicopters (Bell 412) and Eurocopters (EC 155, B1, EC 135 P2, and AS 350 B3). The fleet of helicopters, which range from small light helicopters to medium-sized twin helicopters, offer seating capacity for 4–12 passengers.

GVHL offers offshore transportation services to the oil and gas sector. Through Birdie, its onshore division, GVHL offers charter and airport shuttle services throughout the country.

GVHL is listed on the National Stock Exchange and the Mumbai Stock Exchange. It is an ISO 9001-2000, 14001-2004, and OHSAS 18001-1999 certified company. These certifications cover all GVHL activities, including flight operations, engineering, safety, quality control, and commercial systems.

GVHL’s maintenance facility at the Juhu air base in Mumbai meets international quality standards. It has received certification from the Directorate General Civil Aviation, Government of India.

GVHL is part of the Vectra Group, which is engaged in aviation, heavy engineering, real estate, information and technology, and security systems.

For further information, please contact:
Sujay Sumbh, Nitin Sachdev
Tel: +91-9899940444 /+91-9341968270
Website: www.globalhelicorp.com, www.birdie.co.in