Latest news with #CharDham
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Chopper crash toll highest in U'khand, 21 dead in 5 yrs
Dehradun: Uttarakhand has emerged as India's most helicopter accident-prone state, accounting for seven of the 12 major chopper crashes reported nationwide over the past five years, according to data shared in Rajya Sabha by Union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol. Of the 30 deaths in these incidents across India, 21 died in Uttarakhand alone. Maharashtra recorded four crashes with seven deaths, while Chhattisgarh saw one crash resulting in two casualties. The alarming figures have renewed concerns over aviation safety in the hill state, especially during the annual Char Dham yatra. One of the deadliest crashes occurred in Oct 2022, when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims to Kedarnath crashed on a hill, killing all seven onboard. This year, two fatal crashes on May 8 in Uttarkashi and on June 15 near Kedarnath have already claimed 13 lives. These incidents were among five helicopter mishaps reported on the yatra route in just 45 days. In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped up safety audits and surveillance of helicopter operations in high-risk and pilgrimage zones. Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (Ucada) has also announced plans to set up an Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Sahastradhara heliport -- a move that has been repeatedly recommended by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Experts say the latest data highlights the need for urgent reforms. "With scant regard to carrying capacity, basic safety protocols and a blind pursuit of record footfall during the Char Dham yatra, the system often bends to accommodate more than it can safely handle. It's a recipe for disaster," said Anoop Nautiyal, founder of Dehradun-based Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation. A senior aviator familiar with flying conditions in Uttarakhand's mountainous terrain, who wished to remain anonymous, said a dedicated control centre should have been established at Kedarnath long ago, considering the volume of helicopter traffic to the shrine, which often exceeds 200 sorties a day. "Everyone in the aviation circuit knows that Kedar valley is India's most challenging air corridor, yet it lacks even basic safety infrastructure," he said. Aviation experts have long urged stricter regulations, better weather forecasting, high-altitude pilot training and cap on operations during adverse conditions. With pilgrim numbers rising each year, they warn that without systemic change, Uttarakhand's skies will continue to bear a deadly burden.
Business Standard
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Divine Blessings in Silver: MMTC-PAMP Launches 99.99%+ Silver Char Dham 20gm Coin Series Honouring India's Spiritual Compass
NewsVoir New Delhi [India], July 21: Honouring the cultural and spiritual significance of the Char Dham Yatra, MMTC- PAMP, India's only LBMA accredited Good Delivery Gold & Silver refiner and recognised as the purest precious metal brand in Asia and India, has launched a set of four (20 gram each) purest silver coins paying homage to India's most revered pilgrimage destinations - Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram. Each 20-gram coin in this exclusive set is crafted from 99.99%+ purest silver, ensuring the highest purity standards while celebrating the architectural grandeur and spiritual significance of these four sacred sites. Additionally, each coin captures the unique mythological significance and distinct architectural essence of the respective pilgrimage site, making this collection a comprehensive tribute to India's spiritual geography. Speaking about the launch of the Char Dham collection, Mr Samit Guha, Interim CEO and CFTO of MMTC- PAMP, said, "Our Char Dham collection is a uniquely crafted tribute to the four holiest pilgrimage sites of India, spread across four corners - Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west, Puri in the east, and Rameswaram in the south. Each of the four coins in this set celebrates one of the Char Dhams, capturing the spiritual, cultural significance, architectural marvel, and the beautiful landscape. Each piece in this collection tells a centuries-old story of devotion, connecting contemporary collectors with India's timeless spiritual heritage through the finest Swiss craftsmanship." Embodying centuries of devotion and mythology, the colour-embossed Char Dham collection is more than just precious metals. These coins represent the spiritual journey, or yugas, of India, encompassing the Char Dham across the country, as espoused by the 8th-century Vedic scholar and philosopher Shri Adi Shankaracharya. MMTC-PAMP's Char Dham Collection offers an exceptional value proposition for collectors who appreciate quality craftsmanship and purity. This collection is ideal for spiritual customers looking to celebrate the auspiciousness of these pilgrimage sites for religious occasions, festivals, and ceremonial celebrations. Furthermore, investors benefit from a precious metal investment that combines cultural and historical significance with Swiss-quality manufacturing, ensuring premium collectable status and potential appreciation due to limited availability and deep thematic relevance. The Char Dham pilgrimage is considered a spiritual journey, cleansing the soul and deepening connection with the divine. The Char Dham collection by MMTC-PAMP is a tribute to this sentiment offering the purest silver with a commitment to showcase India's deep rooted cultural, civilizational values and celebrating the test of endurance and faith through these coins. Every product created by MMTC-PAMP goes through a rigorous purification process to ensure 999.9+ (99.99%+) the purity of the metal. To validate the authenticity, every MMTC-PAMP product carries a unique number and comes packaged in Assayer Certified Minted Cards. Each gold and silver product bought from MMTC-PAMP offers positive weight tolerance, which guarantees that every coin or bar one buys weighs more than the listed weight, ensuring customers receive the highest value for their investment. MMTC-PAMP products are available at their exclusive stores, leading jeweller partners, online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart, or directly from MMTC-PAMP's own website, A joint venture between Switzerland-based bullion refinery, PAMP SA, and MMTC Ltd., a Miniratna and Government of India Undertaking. MMTC-PAMP is the only LBMA-accredited gold & silver good delivery refiner in India and is accepted across global commodity exchanges and central banks. The company seamlessly marries Swiss excellence with Indian insights. MMTC-PAMP India Pvt. Ltd. is internationally recognized as an industry leader in bringing global standards of excellence to the Indian precious metals industry. MMTC-PAMP has received several awards since its inception from local and global industry bodies for Refining, Brand and Sustainability. Notably, MMTC-PAMP is India's First Precious Metals Company to have Science-based Emissions Reduction Targets Approved by SBTI. Recognized by the Asia and India Book of Records, MMTC-PAMP is acclaimed as the country's only brand providing the purest gold and silver coins and bars with 99.99%+ purity levels and positive weight tolerance to consumers. Adding to its laurels, MMTC-PAMP was honoured as India's Most Trusted Brand of the Nation at The Brand Story- Indian Brand and Leadership Conclave & Awards, 2024.
Fashion Value Chain
21-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
Divine Blessings in Silver: MMTC-PAMP Launches 99.99%+ Silver Char Dham 20gm Coin Series Honouring India's Spiritual Compass
Aesthetically created with the Finest Swiss Craftsmanship, each coin celebrates one of the Char Dham and its significance The colourful coins weigh 20 grams each and are made from 99.99%+ purest silver, making them ideal for collectors, gifting and spiritually inclined customers Honouring the cultural and spiritual significance of the Char Dham Yatra, MMTC- PAMP, Indias only LBMA accredited Good Delivery Gold & Silver refiner and recognised as the purest precious metal brand in Asia and India, has launched a set of four (20 gram each) purest silver coins paying homage to Indias most revered pilgrimage destinations – Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram. MMTC-PAMP Launches 99.99%+ Silver Char Dham 20gm Coin Series Each 20-gram coin in this exclusive set is crafted from 99.99%+ purest silver, ensuring the highest purity standards while celebrating the architectural grandeur and spiritual significance of these four sacred sites. Additionally, each coin captures the unique mythological significance and distinct architectural essence of the respective pilgrimage site, making this collection a comprehensive tribute to Indias spiritual geography. Speaking about the launch of the Char Dham collection, Mr Samit Guha, Interim CEO and CFTO of MMTC- PAMP, said, 'Our Char Dham collection is a uniquely crafted tribute to the four holiest pilgrimage sites of India, spread across four corners – Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west, Puri in the east, and Rameswaram in the south. Each of the four coins in this set celebrates one of the Char Dhams, capturing the spiritual, cultural significance, architectural marvel, and the beautiful landscape. Each piece in this collection tells a centuries-old story of devotion, connecting contemporary collectors with Indias timeless spiritual heritage through the finest Swiss craftsmanship.' Embodying centuries of devotion and mythology, the colour-embossed Char Dham collection is more than just precious metals. These coins represent the spiritual journey, or yugas, of India, encompassing the Char Dham across the country, as espoused by the 8th-century Vedic scholar and philosopher Shri Adi Shankaracharya. MMTC-PAMP's Char Dham Collection offers an exceptional value proposition for collectors who appreciate quality craftsmanship and purity. This collection is ideal for spiritual customers looking to celebrate the auspiciousness of these pilgrimage sites for religious occasions, festivals, and ceremonial celebrations. Furthermore, investors benefit from a precious metal investment that combines cultural and historical significance with Swiss-quality manufacturing, ensuring premium collectable status and potential appreciation due to limited availability and deep thematic relevance. The Char Dham pilgrimage is considered a spiritual journey, cleansing the soul and deepening connection with the divine. The Char Dham collection by MMTC-PAMP is a tribute to this sentiment offering the purest silver with a commitment to showcase India's deep rooted cultural, civilizational values and celebrating the test of endurance and faith through these coins. Every product created by MMTC-PAMP goes through a rigorous purification process to ensure 999.9+ (99.99%+) the purity of the metal. To validate the authenticity, every MMTC-PAMP product carries a unique number and comes packaged in Assayer Certified Minted Cards. Each gold and silver product bought from MMTC-PAMP offers positive weight tolerance, which guarantees that every coin or bar one buys weighs more than the listed weight, ensuring customers receive the highest value for their investment. MMTC-PAMP products are available at their exclusive stores, leading jeweller partners, online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart, or directly from MMTC-PAMP's own website, About MMTC-PAMP A joint venture between Switzerland-based bullion refinery, PAMP SA, and MMTC Ltd., a Miniratna and Government of India Undertaking. MMTC-PAMP is the only LBMA-accredited gold & silver good delivery refiner in India and is accepted across global commodity exchanges and central banks. The company seamlessly marries Swiss excellence with Indian insights. MMTC-PAMP India Pvt. Ltd. is internationally recognized as an industry leader in bringing global standards of excellence to the Indian precious metals industry. MMTC-PAMP has received several awards since its inception from local and global industry bodies for Refining, Brand and Sustainability. Notably, MMTC-PAMP is Indias First Precious Metals Company to have Science-based Emissions Reduction Targets Approved by SBTI. Recognized by the Asia and India Book of Records, MMTC-PAMP is acclaimed as the country's only brand providing the purest gold and silver coins and bars with 99.99%+ purity levels and positive weight tolerance to consumers. Adding to its laurels, MMTC-PAMP was honoured as India's Most Trusted Brand of the Nation at The Brand Story- Indian Brand and Leadership Conclave & Awards, 2024.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Badri-Kedar Temple Committee seeking legal advice over construction of replica of Kedarnath temple in Samajwadi Party's bastion Etawah
Opposing the construction of the replica of Kedarnath temple in Samajwadi Party's (SP) bastion, Etawah, the authorities of Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) said on Saturday (July 19, 2025) that they are seeking legal advice in the matter. The priest community in Uttarakhand is also up in arms against the temple project, launched by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav. The construction of over 70 feet tall Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, which looks exactly like Kedarnath temple, started in 2021. Being built at the approximate cost of ₹50 crore in front of Safari Park in Etawah, the home turf of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and is likely to be completed in the next six months. Akhilesh Yadav had recently shared a video of the temple on social stirring controversy over the same. Condemning the move of building the replica of a temple of 'religious and mythological importance', BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi said that Kedarnath temple is one of the 11 Jyotirlinga and it should not be copied in any way. 'It is mentioned in the Vedas and Puranas that Kedarnath Dham is located in the Himalayan region, hence the replica temple of this important religious place should not be built elsewhere, it is against religious beliefs,' he said. Mr. Dwivedi added that appropriate steps will be taken after legal opinion in the matter. he added that BKTC has also brought in the notice of the state government. Suresh Semwal, president of Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchyat, the body of priests associated with char dham temples, said that construction of the replica of Kedarnath temple in Etawah is not only tampering with religious sentiments of people but also an attack on the identity and tradition of the Hindu temples. 'It is an insult to faith of millions of Hindus. If Uttarakhand government will not take appropriate measure to stop the construction of the temple in Etawah, the priest community will be forced to move to court,' he added. After a Statewide agitation by the priest community last year, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) lead Uttarakhand government had pushed for a halt on the proposed construction of Kedarnath temple in Delhi's Burari. The project in Burari was inaugurated by the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who faced a lot of heat over the same. After both political pressure from the Opposition Congress and from the Char Dham temple priests, the State government had proposed in the Cabinet to make take legal action on the misuse of the name of Char Dham temples.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Uttarkashi chopper crash that killed 6: AAIB says pilot tried highway landing
Dehradun: The helicopter carrying pilgrims from Gangotri that crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi on May 8, killing six people and injuring one, was attempting to land on National Highway-34 when its rotor blade struck an overhead fibre cable, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said in its preliminary report released on Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report noted that the chopper began descending from its assigned altitude around 20 minutes after taking off from Kharsali helipad at 8:11am. "During the landing attempt, the helicopter's main rotor blade struck an overhead fibre cable running parallel to the road. It also damaged some roadside metallic barricades. However, the helicopter was unable to land and tumbled down the hillside. Eventually, it came to rest against a tree, approximately 250 feet deep into a gorge," the report said. The Bell 407 helicopter, bearing registration VT-OXF, was operated by M/s Aero Trans Services Pvt Ltd. The crash killed the pilot and five passengers and seriously injured one passenger. The helicopter was destroyed, though there was no fire. The aircraft was scheduled to carry out a hill familiarisation-check flight followed by charter flying for the Char Dham yatra. Both flights were to be handled by different pilots. The first flight took off at 5:39am from Sahastradhara helipad with two pilots, including an examiner, and three passengers. It was a dual-pilot check flight and returned safely at 6:56am. No defects were reported, and the authorised aircraft maintenance engineer (AME), who held a valid DGCA CAT 'A' licence, had found no discrepancies during the pre-flight inspection. The next leg — Sahastradhara to Kharsali, Jhala, Phata, and Lower Jamu — was a single-pilot charter operation. The helicopter took off again at 7:45am with six passengers on board and landed at Kharsali helipad. After offloading the passengers and luggage, another group of six passengers boarded the chopper for Jhala.
