Concerned citizens want govt to halt Char Dham heli services & review operations

PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun 

Concerned citizens, activists and stakeholders are calling on the State government to halt helicopter services during this year’s Char Dham Yatra and thoroughly review everything including infrastructure, guidelines and violations to enable their safe and proper operation in the future. With five helicopter accidents and 13 deaths during the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand over the past 38 days, fear is growing about the safety of operations in the State.

The secretary of Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat Brijesh Sati said, “These helicopter operators do not follow safety norms. They usually allow more passengers in the helicopter than allowed. They regularly fly close to houses, causing windows to rattle due to their noise. The government needs to halt helicopter services and review everything from infrastructure to helicopter checking and ensure enforcement of strict regulations before resuming it.” He also demanded a complete ban on operations until a proper inquiry is held on recent crashes and reports are made public.

Dehradun based activist Anoop Nautiyal also raised his worries regarding the frequent helicopter crashes in Uttarakhand. He said that he has also written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to halt the chopper services this year. He said that with five crashes in six weeks, there should be a complete halt to helicopter operations for this year’s pilgrimage.

According to him, this time should be used to prepare much-needed infrastructure for aerial safety on the Char Dham route. Nautiyal stated that there is a lack of air-traffic control, radar and real-time weather updates in the region. He added that pilots are flying blind in a landscape where the weather can change in the blink of an eye. Without proper infrastructure, allowing flights under these conditions is suicidal, Nautiyal said, adding that a decision should be based on safety instead of flimsy assurances or the formation of yet more committees in the State. A retired Army personnel Kishan Singh Jeena also raised his voice against the ongoing chopper operations, stating that the services were originally meant to aid those who could not reach pilgrimage sites like Kedarnath or Badrinath. “It was meant as a service for the elderly, the injured or those with limited mobility. But today it has turned into a business with no moral obligation towards safety, putting lives at risk in the process,” he said.

Jeena stated that people successfully undertook the Char Dham Yatra long before helicopter services were introduced, adding that there was no harm in suspending them this year to avoid turning pilgrimage into a path of tragedy. “It can be resumed after analysing everything and ensuring proper enforcement of rules set by agencies concerned,” he added.