Uttarakhand Suspends Chardham Helicopter Services After 7 Killed In Crash; CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Calls Emergency Meet

Dehradun: 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.

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.

Helicopter 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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