Helicopter Joy Rides Soar Over Prayagraj's Magh Mela
The bustling Magh Mela in Prayagraj has introduced a thrilling new attraction for visitors. A helicopter joy ride service now operates from the mela grounds, providing tourists with a unique aerial perspective of the massive religious gathering.
Service Details and Operations
The Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation launched this service. A six-seater helicopter takes off from a temporary helipad near DPS Road in the Arail area. Each flight lasts seven to eight minutes.
Tourists pay Rs 4200 per person for the experience. Thumby Aviation from Pune operates the service. The company's operations manager, Siddharth, confirmed the helicopter runs daily from 8 am to 5 pm.
Bookings are available both online and offline. This flexibility makes it easy for visitors to secure their spots.
Tourist Response and Experiences
The service has received positive feedback from tourists. Many express excitement about this new opportunity.
Yaduvendra Yadav, one tourist, shared his experience. He mentioned missing the helicopter rides during the Maha Kumbh due to overwhelming crowds. Now, at the Magh Mela, he finally enjoyed the ride with friends.
Another visitor, Akhand Pratap, described the aerial view as truly unique. He said seeing every corner of the fairgrounds in just seven minutes created an unforgettable memory.
Magh Mela's Growing Popularity
The Magh Mela began on January 3 and continues to draw massive crowds. Over three crore devotees have already taken holy dips in the Sangam during the first thirteen days.
This high volume of tourists creates new tourism opportunities. The helicopter joy ride represents one innovative response to the increased demand for unique experiences at religious festivals.
The service was previously available during the 2025 Maha Kumbh. Its reintroduction at the Magh Mela shows the ongoing effort to enhance visitor engagement.
Tourism officials expect the helicopter rides to remain popular throughout the mela period. They believe such attractions can boost local tourism and provide memorable experiences for pilgrims and tourists alike.
