Ooty: Efforts are on to introduce helicopter services between Coimbatore and Ooty, as part of tapping the tourist potential, according to Tourism Minister Vellamandi Natarajan.

Considering the time needed to reach the tourist town by road or train, the Government is to recommend to the Centre to give clearance to operate chopper services, Natarajan told reporters on the sidelines of 44th Annual Vegetable Show at nearby Kothagiri where a 25-ft long, 12-ft tall and 6-ft wide ship made of 1,500 kgs of capsicum has become a big hit.

On the fact that the forest department had been against this since long, he said, “Everything will be taken care of to expedite the services.”

The State will join the Centre for implementation of UDAY and Prakash schemes and also infrastructure development ones as part of promoting tourism in a bigger way.

About the merger of AIADMK factions, he said over 1.5 crore grassroot level workers wanted the `Two Leaves’ symbol back and support the faction which gets it.