The Uttarakhand government has suspended helicopter services along the Chardham Yatra route for two days till Monday (June 16). The state government decided to halt the services in the wake of a helicopter crash near Kedarnath on Sunday morning that claimed seven lives, including the pilot.
The Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd helicopter was returning from Kedarnath when it crashed near Guptkashi. The cause of the crash is reported to be inclement weather conditions.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami convened an emergency meeting with senior officials and announced immediate suspension of heli services, citing safety concerns due to adverse weather. “The safety of pilgrims is our top priority. There will be no heli services today and tomorrow,” he stated.
Strict SOP for heli operations to be draft
Dhami directed officials to draft a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all helicopter operations in the state. He also ordered the establishment of a control and command centre in the region and emphasised stringent compliance with DGCA norms. “Only experienced pilots should be allowed to fly in the upper Himalayan terrain,” he said.
The Chief Minister called for aviation companies, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to thoroughly review the incident before resuming operations.
This latest crash is the fifth helicopter-related accident on the Chardham Yatra route since the pilgrimage began on April 30. The Chardham Yatra comprises pilgrimages to the revered Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Earlier this month, a private helicopter en route to Kedarnath was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway in Uttarakhand after developing a technical snag during take-off. The aircraft veered dangerously close to nearby buildings and its tail rotor detached, falling onto a parked car. All five pilgrims on board escaped unharmed, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.