Chardham helicopter services suspended for two days after Kedarnath crash
Helicopter services on the Chardham yatra route were suspended for two days on Sunday in the wake of the crash of a chopper returning from Kedarnath.Seven people, including the pilot, were killed in the helicopter crash on Sunday morning.Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who held an emergency meeting with senior officials to discuss the situation, said heli services will remain suspended for two days as the weather is bad and the safety of passengers is the state government's top priority.advertisement
He also told officials at the meeting to issue a strict SOP for heli operations in the state and set up a control and command centre here, besides taking action against those responsible for the crash."There should not be any laxity regarding compliance with DGCA norms in helicopter operations in the state. It should also be ensured that the pilots flying in the upper Himalayan region are experienced," Dhami said after the emergency meeting.Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority) and DGCA officials attended the meeting, held via video conferencing.Dhami attributed the crash to inclement weather and said heli operations will remain suspended for two days on Sunday and Monday."The weather is also bad and the safety of pilgrims is paramount. There will be no heli services today and tomorrow. Aviation companies, DGCA and UCADA have been asked to review the situation thoroughly before resuming heli operations", he said.advertisementHelicopter crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Chardham yatra route in Uttarakhand. The Chardham yatra involves Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines.The latest crash involving an Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning is the fifth helicopter accident on the pilgrimage route since the start of the yatra on April 30.
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Time of India
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- Time of India
Uttarakhand chopper crash: No radar, no rules; inside Kedarnath's risky circuit
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Time of India
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Airspace closures, Dreamliner checks trigger delays
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
5 crashes in 6 weeks expose gaps in Uttarakhand's chopper safety
1 2 Dehradun/New Delhi: Manoj Sharma doesn't fly by the book in the Kedarnath sector — he flies by sight, by wind, by instinct. "We are flying in one of the world's most unforgiving regions with very little real-time weather support," he said. "Operations in such large numbers are being conducted on pilot observation and visual reference. The weather is very unpredictable and changes very rapidly." That reality, long known to those in the cockpit, now has the country's attention. In just six weeks, Uttarakhand has recorded five helicopter accidents — two of them fatal, others involving emergency landings and rotor damage — all on the Kedar route. In one case, a Kestrel Aviation helicopter crash-landed near a road after a mechanical failure, injuring the pilot and damaging a vehicle. This is not an outlier year. In 2022, an Aryan Aviation chopper crashed near Kedarnath, killing seven. In 2023, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) finance controller Amit Saini died after being struck by a tail rotor. And in 2013, a military rescue helicopter went down during flood relief, killing 20. The terrain is tough — but it is not the only challenge. The system built to manage it is, in many ways, still catching up to the traffic it supports. Pilgrimage flights have surged over the past decade, but the region lacks a dedicated air traffic control network. "There is no ATC control nor any weather station in these areas," said a veteran pilot. "Flying in the narrow valley from Gaurikund to Kedarnath needs a lot of experience and safety awareness, as there are no landing sites on this stretch that can be used in an emergency or bad weather." Another pilot added, "There is no information provided on routes where major helicopter operations take place. Till such time these issues can't be addressed, these operations should immediately be stopped. " This month, the civil aviation ministry suspended Aryan Aviation from Char Dham operations and grounded two TransBharat pilots who flew in unsuitable weather, suspending their licences for six months. UCADA — established by the state in 2013 to oversee civil aviation development and safety, including helipad infrastructure and coordination with private operators — has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review with all operators and setting up a command-and-control room to monitor real-time risks. DGCA has deployed officers to oversee safety, airworthiness and the functioning of the control centre. But many in the sector say these moves fall short. "It seems there are no checks and balances in place," said one chopper operator. "There is someone who replaced one inoperative part on a chopper with another inoperative part from another chopper to show that the part has been changed. Because of unscrupulous operators, conscientious operators and passengers are suffering." Others point to a deeper culture of pressure and compromise. "There have been five chopper crashes in the country within the last 1.5 months, which is the worst we have ever seen in helicopter operations in our country," said a senior pilot. "Char Dham operations are one of the toughest... yet we still fly as if nothing needs fixing." Another pilot was more direct: "We need a complete stop on chopper operations for this yatra season. All stakeholders — owners, pilots, commercial, engineers, DGCA and UCADA — need to look within and change." One added, simply, "It's greed. That's what's driving this. Not safety."
