New Delhi:keeping in view the safety of flight operations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday introduced an additional hill check for pilots operating to helipads at 10,000 ft during the Char Dham Yatra from this season onwards. This development came in the backdrop of rising concerns about the flight operations during the Char Dham Yatra as at least six pilgrims and a pilot were killed in a chopper crash near Kedarnath Shrine in Uttarakhand on October 2022.
A senior official informed that under the safety measures, pilots operating in the Himalayan region will get specialised training under the new set of rules introduced by the DGCA. This year also, a similar incident happened when an official of the Uttarakhand government was killed after coming in contact with a tail rotor.
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So, the recent announcement by the aviation watchdog is meant to prevent such incidents and ensure safer flight operations. Char Dham Yatra is one of the most popular pilgrimages attracting a large number of devotees from various parts of the country.
Kedarnath is one of these places. All four shrines are at high altitudes where extreme weather conditions can change rapidly. The Kedarnath pilgrimage was launched on April 25 this year. The chopper shuttle services also began on the same date by seven operators approved by DGCA after an inspection conducted from April 20-23.
It may be recalled that a helicopter, which was carrying Char Dham yatra pilgrims crashed near Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, in October 2022. Soon after the crash, the chopper broke into several pieces and engulfed in fire, and seven peersons, including the pilot were killed. (With agency inputs)
