Latest news with #AryanAviationPvtLtd
The Print
an hour ago
- Business
- The Print
Uttarakhand crash shows how cheap a pilgrim's life is. Helicopter rides cheaper than pony
On any given day, at least 12-15 twin-engine helicopters undertake between 25-30 sorties to/from Mumbai High. Flown by two pilots (mostly ex-military) who have to match up to high entry barriers of flying experience, twin-engine hours, offshore experience among others, these helicopters form the lifeline for offshore oil and gas workers who have to traverse hundreds of sea miles to keep our kitchen fires burning. Two of these have been fatal, taking a total of 13 lives since May 2025. A timeline of helicopter accidents in Uttarakhand can be accessed here . A Bell 407 (VT-BKA) of Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd operating in the Kedarnath Aryan Helipad Guptkashi sector crashed early morning on Sunday, Jun 15, 2025, near Gaurikund between 0530-0545 IST. The helicopter reportedly took off from Guptkashi at 0510 IST, landed at Kedarnath Ji helipad 0518 IST before departing at 0519 IST for Guptkashi. There were a total of seven onboard, including the pilot. All are feared dead. Uttarakhand Director General of Information Bansidhar Tripathi said there had been 'three emergency landings and two helicopter crashes in the past month and a half' along the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage route. Flying continues unabated 24/7/365 till visibility drops below 1000 metres or conditions at base/destination goes below minima — a rare occurrence, typically just 2-3 times in a year. The primary client is public sector undertaking (PSU) 'Maharatna' Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) and a couple of private sector giants. Only 2-3 helicopter companies with 'depth' can compete in this exacting environment that stretches from sea level to about 3000 feet. State-run Pawan Hans Limited (PHL), hithertofore a competitor in this field, has since vacated the arena after a series of accidents that shook passenger confidence despite the comfort zone two PSUs (ONGC-PHL) enjoyed in this client-service provider relationship. These are high-value offshore contracts with intricate standards and punishing liquidated damage (LD) clauses that companies bid for and win on a competitive basis. Upfront, there are no fare-paying passengers. Should the Captain decide to turn back due to 'weather' or 'technical' ( DNCO or 'duty not carried out' in military parlance), passengers would at best begrudge another night's stay in the company guest house or hotel. They can always take another flight the same day or next — no pressure. Yet there have been serious accidents that were traced back to a flawed model that incentivised 'flying hours' and 'number of landings' over safety in this industry. Also read: Maha Kumbh has given CM Yogi a winning model—religious tourism for eastern UP The Char Dham Sector Now imagine a situation where a bunch of eight or nine start-ups or small-cap companies field 40-50 helicopters for a short-term, lucrative contract in the Himalayas where: The opportunity window is a slender 3-4 months in a year Man and machine are operating at their limits of weight, altitude and temperature (WAT) Ticket prices are capped at unreasonable levels because GoI wants ' Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN)' Demand outstrips supply by an order of magnitude The state literally incentivises the feeding frenzy by pegging ticket prices that compete with pony rides Contractual clauses load the dice heavily against 'No Go' or 'Land and Live' Only single-pilot, single-engine helicopter operations are viable in this L1 scenario Terms are dictated by UCADA generalists from the IAS cadre with ZERO expertise in aviation Is it surprising if operators become the beasts of burden in this scenario where there is big money to be made and incentives for shortcuts are far too many? It's all fine till a helicopter crashes and lives are lost. Even then, holding the operator responsible for all losses and the state (contractually) washing its hands off must strike people with a conscience as odd, but here we are. Enabling factors As another helicopter, this time a Bell 407, VT-BKA belonging to Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, slammed into a hillside in Uttarakhand today Jun 15, 2025 with loss of seven lives (pilot+5 adults+1 infant), a larger question begs answer — who is responsible for safety management in what is veritably the 'cash cow' sector of helicopter industry in India? And, more importantly, what power or agency do those whom the authorities hold 'responsible for safety' wield in implementing course corrections? Some answers can be found in tender documents issued by Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) which runs the heli-tourism wing for and on behalf of the Uttarakhand state government. Fuelled by the Modi government's flagship Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) and 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik' (UDAN) schemes, heli-tourism, especially to far-flung shrines in the mountains, has seen an uptick in recent years. On first look, there is nothing wrong with the policy as such. Helicopters, indeed all vertical lift, fills a niche in rugged mountains that nothing else can. The Char Dham circuit is so holy in India that it is considered poor form to even speak of it without the respectful suffix of 'ji' (as in Kedarnath Ji). Helicopters can turn a 5-hour trek or pony ride across rugged mountainous terrain into a 15-minute air shuttle. Who in government can possibly say no to an idea that propels heli-tourism revenue, where all accountability is outsourced to an 'operator' while the state keeps skimming money off the top? Safety culture? What's that? In a country where people die in stampedes and fall off the footboard of moving trains without doors in the 21st Century, who should be the final arbiter for safety? The pilgrim who has been given the opportunity to buy a helicopter ticket cheaper than a pony ride? Or a '2+1 helicopter company' who wants to 'extract maximus' from the milk cow of the industry? Or UCADA, whose website, replete with spelling mistakes and 'no data found', gives a glimpse into how cheap a pilgrim or tourist's life is in India? Look at the odds. And the irony. Listed below are some of the clauses extracted from a recent tender floated by UCADA for the selection of a helicopter shuttle operator from Joshiyara to Gangotri: Operator will have to provide 10 flying hours (on non-chargeable basis) each Yatra season to meet exigencies as determined by UCADA. Each operator will provide the flying hours when directed by UCADA, failure is doing so will attract a penalty of Rs 02 lakh each time. In such a case the balance number of hours will remain unchanged. For utilization of these hours a roaster will be followed. These services will be provided as per the direction of CEO, UCADA. When the helicopter is requisitioned by UCADA and if any operator refuses or shows inability, a penalty of Rs 02.00 lakh will be levied. Withdrawal of any helicopter on the grounds of reduced pilgrim traffic etc. shall be allowed only after the Operator has obtained the specific written approval of the Chief Executive Officer/ Addl. Chief Executive Officer, UCADA failing which a penalty @ Rs 20,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 100,000/- per day) shall be liable to be imposed. The above penalty shall also apply in case the Operator suspends flying beyond 24 hours, on account of some technical snag/ non availability of pilots or any other reason whatsoever. The penalty amount shall be double in the subsequent days of suspended operations i.e. Rs. 40,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 200,000/- for 2nd day), Rs. 80,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 400,000/- for 3rd day) and so on till 07 days after which the contract of the successful operator can be cancelled. The Company shall carry out the flight operations daily, with least inconvenience to the Yatris, subject to fair weather conditions and clearance by the ATC/Competent authority. (to be clear, there is NO ATC or 'competent authority' in Chota Char Dham sector except for pilots). Each pilot operating Shuttles will be permitted a maximum of 50 landings in a day and the bidder will comply with DGCA CAR Section-7 Series-J Part-II without any aberrations. The booking of heli tickets for shuttle services will be 100% online through website authorized by UCADA. 03% (Inclusive of GST) of the tariff of each booked ticket as Yatra Facilitation Charges shall be charged by UCADA from shuttle operator. (This is like booking airline tickets through DGCA!) Booking charges/convenience fees over and above the ticket charges shall be collected from the passenger by the ticket booking agency authorised by UCADA. Dynamic pricing system over and above the L1 rate may be introduced. The SOP for the dynamic pricing system will be as directed by UCADA which will be binding on all the selected bidder. The Operator shall pay royalty inclusive of GST equal to Rs 5,000 per landing at all government owned helipads. The royalty amount has to be deposited on weekly basis. Shuttle royalty shall also increase by 05% with every extension in contract. All other equipment/infrastructure for communication, meteorological facilities, medical facilities, fire-fighting and safe flying operation etc shall be the sole responsibility of the Operator, who shall provide it as per norms prescribed by DGCA/ other agencies. When the helicopter is requisitioned by UCADA and if any operator refuses or shows inability, a penalty of Rs 02.00 lakh will be levied. Withdrawal of any helicopter on the grounds of reduced pilgrim traffic etc. shall be allowed only after the Operator has obtained the specific written approval of the Chief Executive Officer/ Addl. Chief Executive Officer, UCADA failing which a penalty @ Rs 20,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 100,000/- per day) shall be liable to be imposed. The above penalty shall also apply in case the Operator suspends flying beyond 24 hours, on account of some technical snag/ non availability of pilots or any other reason whatsoever. The penalty amount shall be double in the subsequent days of suspended operations i.e. Rs. 40,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 200,000/- for 2nd day), Rs. 80,000/- per scheduled flying hour (subject to a maximum of Rs. 400,000/- for 3rd day) and so on till 07 days after which the contract of the successful operator can be cancelled And here's the clincher! UCADA shall not be liable for what-so-ever consequences arising out of any accident, incident, mishap, or any event relating to the operation of the helicopter services of the Operator, who shall be solely and exclusively liable for any injury, damage or liability of any kind arising directly or indirectly out of its operations. Come one, come all policy The hill state of Uttarakhand is popularly known as 'Dev Bhoomi' — meaning 'Abode of the Gods'. The Char Dham Yatra represents one of the holiest pilgrimages for practising Hindus. As defined by Hindu saint and philosopher Adi Shankara, Char Dham or the Chatur Dhama is a set of four Hindu pilgrimage sites in India, comprising Badrinath (in Uttarakhand), Dwarka (in Gujarat), Puri (in Odisha) and Rameshwaram (in Tamil Nadu). This 'Char Dham ' is often confused with 'Chota Char Dham', which comprises Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Today, Chota Char Dham has gained ascendancy over Char Dham thanks to the slick marketing of Hindu religious tourism by central and state authorities. With throwaway ticket prices speaking to a 'come one, come all' audience, it is hardly surprising that the IRCTC window for heli-tourism ticketing in this sector closes within minutes of opening — for a season that lasts just 5-6 months, including the Amarnath Yatra! All this in the middle of weather most unsuitable for helicopter flying — the Southwest Monsoon (Jun-Sep). Weather unaccounted? A veteran of this sector shared a video with me that I found tantalisingly dangerous, given the marginal conditions of terrain and topography in this sector. They call it Rambara Express. It shows an ominous cloud filling the Kedar valley so fast, it can prove to be the nemesis for single-pilot VFR operations. This is what the pilot had to say: 'Rambara is a village south of Kedarnath, from where this cloud weather phenomenon builds up. It builds up so fast and moves at an express pace towards the temple. That's why, it's Express.' The earning season is very small, and the stakes are inordinately high. In remote Himalayan helipads, what kind of operations/maintenance support can be expected to hold up against a system that expects operators to fly shuttles dawn to dusk, charging them extortionate rates for every landing while providing absolutely nothing in return except ticket fares that are capped at pony ride fares? Even the Indian military suspends routine flying in the mountains after noon! Shelfware of rules, but the ground reality is different A series of accidents have only added to the regulatory overload while doing precious little to correct what is essentially a flawed economic model that promotes shuttles and landings over safety. For example, the number of helicopters in the Kedar valley at any given time was reduced from four to two and payload restricted from In Ground Effect (IGE) to Out of Ground Effect (OGE), meaning lesser payload (and hence more shuttles to earn 'promised' revenue). In effect, the state government and UCADA has pumped more air into the shrine tourism balloon while watchdog DGCA has covered its tracks with Operations Circulars that are 'unobtanium' in the existing context (OC 02 of 2023). When helicopters operating under little to no oversight under Himalayan conditions meet aspirations of an 'awakened' pilgrim on a holy pilgrimage to 'wash off all sins', expect new sins of omission or commission. Wake-up call Thanks to all the hardsell coupled with the pull of cheap tickets, the hill shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath have been seeing footfalls like never before. Shrine boards and the UCADA have been incentivising this feeding frenzy with no real investments in infrastructure or safety management systems. To make matters worse, operators hire ex-military pilots with hill flying experience and incentivise them with cash bounties that draw them away from well-regulated sectors like offshore. It can only go south from here. The situation is so bad, helicopter operators can learn a thing or two from pony operators who seem to have a higher benchmark for what works in the hills and what doesn't. The flawed financial model at the root of this unholy heli-tourism sector merits greater scrutiny and could well hold the keys to solving the puzzle. Meanwhile, as fare-paying passengers, please do your due diligence and take the safer option till further advice. As it seems, nobody has your back. If the triumvirate of MoCA, UCADA and DGCA has succeeded in one mission, it is to unite the pilgrim with his/her Maker, as two fatal accidents in as many months have shown. It is about time pilgrims take responsibility for their own lives. Signing off with thoughts and prayers for seven onboard the last flight of VT-BKA. 'Baba Kedar ki Jai' Cdr KP Sanjeev Kumar is a former Navy test pilot and alumnus of Air Force Test Pilots School, ASTE. He has flown over 5,000 hours on 24 types of aircraft and helicopters. He calls himself 'full-time aviator, part-time writer' and blogs at Views are personal. This article was first published on the author's blog Kaypius.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Helicopter crashes near Kedarnath in India, all seven on board killed
Listen to article A helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims crashed in northern India early Sunday, killing all seven people on board, including a 23-month-old infant, authorities confirmed. The aircraft, operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, was en route from the Kedarnath shrine to Guptkashi in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district when it went down around 5.30am local time. The crash occurred near Gaurikund, in the forested region of Kedarghati. District tourism official Rahul Chaubey said the crash was likely caused by poor weather conditions, which often pose risks for aircraft in the mountainous terrain. Read: Three killed in Indian coast guard helicopter crash in Gujarat The wreckage was located near Gauri Mai Khark after local women cutting grass saw smoke and alerted the authorities. Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and forest department responded quickly, recovering all deceased from the charred remains. The deceased were identified as Rajkumar Jaiswal, Shraddha Jaiswal, their daughter Kashi Jaiswal, Tushti Singh, Vinod Negi, Vikram Singh Rawat—a staff member of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee—and pilot Captain Rajbeer Singh Chauhan. Chauhan, a former Indian Army officer, had more than 15 years of flying experience, including missions in difficult terrain. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief on social media and said rescue and recovery operations were underway. 'I pray to Baba Kedar for strength to the bereaved families,' he posted. Helicopter services along the Kedarnath route have been suspended until further notice. #WATCH | Uttarkhand Helicopter Crash | Dehradun | Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "... This morning, a helicopter crashed due to bad weather. I pray to God for those who lost their lives. An emergency meeting has been called immediately, in which instructions have been… — ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2025 Read: Helicopter crash in India leaves five dead Pilgrims travel to the Kedarnath temple in large numbers during the summer months, when the high-altitude site becomes accessible. On 7 June, a Kestrel Aviation helicopter made an emergency landing after a technical snag, injuring the pilot but sparing the passengers. The crash adds to a growing list of helicopter accidents in the region, raising concerns about air safety during the pilgrimage season. In 2022, seven people were killed when a Kedarnath-bound helicopter crashed shortly after take-off. The helicopter crash follows a larger aviation tragedy just days earlier. On Thursday, more than 240 people were killed when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. The plane, which was bound for London's Gatwick Airport, slammed into a medical college hostel during lunch hour. Only one known survivor has been reported
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
Helicopter crashes on Char Dham Yatra route occurring at alarming frequency
Helicopter crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Char Dham Yatra route in Uttarakhand, causing concern among people and the administration. The latest crash of an Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning, which killed all seven people on board, is the fifth mishap involving a helicopter on the pilgrimage route this year. A Kestrel Aviation helicopter en route Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on June 7 after developing a technical snag shortly after take-off. It made a hard landing on the road close to populated buildings, with its tail rotor hitting a parked car. All pilgrims on board, as well as the pilot, escaped narrowly. The hard landing of the helicopter came about a month after another private chopper on its way to Gangotri temple crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district on May 8, killing six people, including five women and the pilot, and leaving one male passenger seriously injured. On May 12, a helicopter returning from Badrinath to Sersi with pilgrims on board had to make an emergency landing in a school playground in Ukhimath due to poor visibility. All pilgrims were safe. The helicopter took off again after about an hour when the weather improved. On May 17, a heli ambulance from AIIMS Rishikesh crash-landed near the Kedarnath helipad in Uttarakhand due to damage to its rear part. Fortunately, all three occupants on board a doctor, a pilot, and a medical staff member escaped unharmed. "This was the fifth mishap involving a chopper on the Char Dham Yatra route within less than one-and-a-half months of the commencement of the pilgrimage this year," state Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said. "It shows that the state government has no control over the aviation firms operating on the route. There is no SOP for chopper operations. In the mad rush for making money, the heli companies have thrown all caution to the wind. There is no cap on the number of sorties being undertaken by them in a day," Dhasmana said. Social activist Anoop Nautiyal said it appears that the state government is not learning lessons from the recent mishaps involving choppers on the Yatra route. "Four days ago, news came that there will be strict norms guiding heli operations now only 3- 4 passengers will be allowed to board a chopper, not 5- 6. However, four days later, seven people, including the pilot, died in yet another helicopter accident," Nautiyal said. If you don't want to change the system, why do you tell lies to the people? Will anyone who played with people's lives be suspended? Will anyone take responsibility? Will these helicopters be reined in after five accidents in little over a month, or will they keep crashing like this," he asked. Soon after the crash on Sunday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held an emergency meeting and asked senior officials to prepare a strict SOP (standard operating procedure) for heli services in the state, making a thorough check of the technical condition of the choppers mandatory. The Uttarakhand chief secretary has been directed to constitute a committee of technical experts, which will prepare the SOP after thoroughly reviewing all technical and safety aspects of heli operations. The committee will ensure that the operation of heli services is completely safe, transparent, and as per the prescribed standards, an official statement said. Heli operations on the Yatra route have been suspended for two days, Dhami said. Operations will resume only after the safety of all passengers is ensured. The safety of the Yatris cannot be compromised, he said. Dhami also said that weather status should be checked before heli operations. The chief minister has directed a committee constituted to investigate helicopter accidents to thoroughly probe every aspect of Sunday's crash and earlier accidents and submit a report. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Kedarnath chopper crash: Helicopter accidents on Char Dham Yatra route occurring at alarming frequency
Helicopter crashes or emergency landings are occurring at an alarming frequency on the Char Dham Yatra route in Uttarakhand , causing concern among people and the administration. The latest crash of an Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper returning from Kedarnath near Guptkashi on Sunday morning, which killed all seven people on board, is the fifth mishap involving a helicopter on the pilgrimage route this year. A Kestrel Aviation helicopter en route Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on June 7 after developing a technical snag shortly after take-off. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo It made a hard landing on the road close to populated buildings, with its tail rotor hitting a parked car. All pilgrims on board, as well as the pilot, escaped narrowly. The hard landing of the helicopter came about a month after another private chopper on its way to Gangotri temple crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district on May 8, killing six people, including five women and the pilot, and leaving one male passenger seriously injured. Live Events On May 12, a helicopter returning from Badrinath to Sersi with pilgrims on board had to make an emergency landing in a school playground in Ukhimath due to poor visibility. All pilgrims were safe. The helicopter took off again after about an hour when the weather improved. On May 17, a heli ambulance from AIIMS Rishikesh crash-landed near the Kedarnath helipad in Uttarakhand due to damage to its rear part. Fortunately, all three occupants on board - a doctor, a pilot, and a medical staff member - escaped unharmed. "This was the fifth mishap involving a chopper on the Char Dham Yatra route within less than one-and-a-half months of the commencement of the pilgrimage this year," state Congress vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana said. "It shows that the state government has no control over the aviation firms operating on the route. There is no SOP for chopper operations. In the mad rush for making money, the heli companies have thrown all caution to the wind. There is no cap on the number of sorties being undertaken by them in a day," Dhasmana said. Social activist Anoop Nautiyal said it appears that the state government is not learning lessons from the recent mishaps involving choppers on the Yatra route. "Four days ago, news came that there will be strict norms guiding heli operations now - only 3- 4 passengers will be allowed to board a chopper, not 5- 6. However, four days later, seven people, including the pilot, died in yet another helicopter accident," Nautiyal said. "If you don't want to change the system, why do you tell lies to the people? Will anyone who played with people's lives be suspended? Will anyone take responsibility? Will these helicopters be reined in after five accidents in little over a month, or will they keep crashing like this," he asked. Soon after the crash on Sunday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held an emergency meeting and asked senior officials to prepare a strict SOP (standard operating procedure) for heli services in the state, making a thorough check of the technical condition of the choppers mandatory. The Uttarakhand chief secretary has been directed to constitute a committee of technical experts, which will prepare the SOP after thoroughly reviewing all technical and safety aspects of heli operations. The committee will ensure that the operation of heli services is completely safe, transparent, and as per the prescribed standards, an official statement said. Heli operations on the Yatra route have been suspended for two days, Dhami said. "Operations will resume only after the safety of all passengers is ensured. The safety of the Yatris cannot be compromised," he said. Dhami also said that weather status should be checked before heli operations. The chief minister has directed a committee constituted to investigate helicopter accidents to thoroughly probe every aspect of Sunday's crash and earlier accidents and submit a report.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Kedarnath helicopter crash: What led to the fatal accident near a 'very remote' area?
Kedarnath chopper crash: What led to crash Live Events Who were the victims? Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35) and her two-year-old child Kashi from Maharashtra Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) from Gujarat Vikram Singh Rawat from Uttarakhand Vinood Devi (66) and Tushti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh Kedarnath chopper crash: Helicopter ops suspended (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a tragic incident near Kedarnath, a helicopter carrying seven people crashed on Sunday morning due to poor weather and low visibility, killing all Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd chopper had taken off from Kedarnath at 5:30 am and was headed for Guptkashi when it lost contact shortly after take-off. The aircraft went down near the Gauri Mai Khark forests above Gaurikund in the narrow and mountainous Kedarghati has further prompted the Uttarakhand government to suspend helicopter services for two days and initiate major safety reviews for mountain aviation investigations have identified dense fog and zero visibility as the primary reasons behind the crash. "The helicopter is believed to have flown into dense fog, drastically reducing pilot visibility and contributing to a loss of control," Rudraprayag district disaster management officer Nandan Singh Rajwar Inspector General (Garhwal Range) Rajiv Swaroop said that the site of the crash was a very remote said the narrow mountainous terrain of the Kedarghati region further limited the pilot's ability to maneuver. District tourism development officer Rahul Chaubey added that search operations were launched immediately after receiving alerts about the missing aircraft. The helicopter caught fire after crash, officials helicopter was carrying seven individuals, including pilot Rajveer Singh Chauhan. The passengers have been identified as:Following the crash, Chief Minister Dhami suspended all helicopter services for two days across the state. "Strict action will be taken against the culprits in this accident... Helicopter services will not run today or tomorrow. These services will remain closed until the safety of the passengers is ensured," Dhami added that pilots operating in the upper Himalayan areas must have experience of the region and that aviation companies must strictly comply with DGCA directed the formation of a technical expert committee, led by the chief secretary, to draft strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These will mandate real-time weather assessments and thorough technical checks before each chief minister has also ordered a high-level investigation into the Kedarnath crash, as well as a review of previous helicopter accidents. The committee will identify systemic lapses and recommend strict action against individuals or companies found negligent.
