Pathanamthitta: The tyres of the Indian Air Force’s helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu got stuck in the concrete when it landed at Pramadam Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. Police and fire personnel pushed the aircraft forward. There were no issues with the President’s journey. The landing was otherwise safe.

The helicopter was originally scheduled to land at Nilakkal, but adverse weather prompted a last-minute change. The helipad at Pramadam was completed only in the morning, leaving the concrete surface soft. "The concrete had not set completely and therefore, it could not handle the helicopter's weight when it landed and depressions were formed where the wheels touched the ground,"an officer said.

President Murmu landed at Pramadam at 9:05 am and travelled by road to Pampa, where she is expected to reach Sannidhanam by 11:50 am. She will travel in a Gurkha convoy and stop at Pampa Ganapathi Temple, where temple chiefs Vishnu Namboothiri and Sankaran Namboothiri will provide the irumudikettu. Security agencies have not disclosed how many personnel will accompany the President. Facilities at Pampa are being prepared to accommodate 50 people for kettunira.

After her Sabarimala darshan, the President will stay for two hours in a specially arranged room in the main office complex of Sannidhanam, which has been under security control for the past two days. Her lunch will be prepared in the recently renovated kitchen, with staff from Rashtrapati Bhavan overseeing arrangements. President Murmu is scheduled to leave Sannidhanam at 3:10 pm and depart from Nilakkal for Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter at 4:20 pm.