Muzaffarpur, Sept. 29: The Maoist threat to the upcoming Assembly elections has prompted the district police to scout suitable places for helicopters to land and take off.

The officials are leaving no stone unturned in making foolproof arrangements to strengthen security measures to conduct free and fair elections.

The Election Commission of India (EC) has asked the district election officers (DEOs) under Tirhut region, along the India-Nepal border, to locate a place for emergency landing of helicopters during the election.

Arrangements for helipads are in full swing in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, East Champaran and West Champaran, close to the Nepal border.

The DEOs had suggested measures to the EC for making large number of helipads in the Assembly constituencies to counter the Maoist menace.

In Muzaffarpur, there are 14 helipads in Minapur, seven in Paroo and six in Sahebganj constituencies.

Intensive search for suitable land is being conducted in Baroraj, Bochahan, Sakra, Gaighat, Aurai and Kudhani Assembly constituencies as well.

Police officers have directed assistant returning officers of Assembly constituencies concerned to find safe and suitable places for helipads.

Tirhut divisional commissioner S.M. Raju reviewed the poll preparations with the DEOs, inspectors-general of police and deputy inspectors-general of police.

He also spoke to the senior superintendents of police and the superintendents of police of Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, East and West Champaran districts and discussed ways of conducting the election in the Maoist-affected pockets of the region.

Moreover, the commissioner focused on measures and deployment of central forces in critical polling booths.

Raju told The Telegraph that central forces would be deployed in all polling booths in the region.

Police road opening parties would be sent to Maoist-hit pockets to ensure safe passage for polling parties to the booths, he said. Police officers have been asked to send details of the helipads to the EC for it to have a look.

Policemen would be deployed in the vicinity of the helipads

Muzaffarpur SSP Sunil Kumar told The Telegraph that two factors are being considered before deciding on the helipads.

First, helicopters ferrying politicians could make an emergency landing. Secondly, this could also provide the facility of airdropping central forces and commandos to tackle any Maoist threat.

Trained Greyhound commandos from Andhra Pradesh, Rapid Action Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Central Industrial Security Force would be available in a short distance from Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, West Champaran and East Champaran distr- icts on October 24, the election day.