Naxalite hit areas in Bastar region of Chattisgarh now have currency being delivered to banks using helicopters by Reserve Bank of India. Highways are guarded by Naxals leaving air route as the only mode of transporting currency to the insurgent areas.

This idea came into effect from the last three months after it was warned by intelligence agencies that cash carrying vans had danger of being looted by naxals. A senior banking official said that police choppers were used to offload the currency boxes.

The official also added that RBI took charge of all expenses of choppers flying from Nagpur to Raipur.

RBI had wanted this new service to remain a secret.

Apart from the 43 branches of the State Bank of India, the region comprising the five districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Kanker also has 122 branches of other banks which include co-operative and agriculture banks.

"These and police choppers are meant for anti-Naxal operations and we have told the RBI officials to make their own arrangements of helicopters," the state police's additional director general, Ramniwas said.