Chopper crash: Heli services suspended till Mon, Dhami orders probe
Dehradun/New Delhi: In the wake of the Kedarnath helicopter crash that claimed seven lives, the Uttarakhand govt suspended all Aryan Aviation operations for the Char Dham Yatra with immediate effect.
As a precaution, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) halted all chartered and shuttle flights in the region on June 15 and 16. Chief minister
Pushkar Singh Dhami
ordered a high-level probe into the incident and directed strict action in case of negligence.
The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Dhami with senior govt officials, civil aviation secretary, DGCA representatives and other stakeholders at his residence on Sunday.
At the meeting, it was decided that two TransBharat Aviation helicopters—VT-TBC (Capt Yogesh Grewal, CPL(H)-1453) and VT-TBF (Capt Jitender Harjai, CPL(H)-1046)—had flown in similar unfavourable conditions, prompting six-month licence suspensions for both pilots.
Dhami said, "Protecting the lives of people is our top priority. Any lapse that risks lives will not be tolerated. Strict punitive action will be taken against those responsible."
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To enhance oversight and safety, a Common Command and Coordination Centre will be set up in Dehradun. The CM said only pilots with extensive experience in flying in high Himalayan terrain will be allowed to operate in the Char Dham sector. The centre will include officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the disaster management department, civil aviation, UCADA and representatives of heli-operator companies.
Dhami also instructed the formation of a technical committee under the home secretary to draft a new standard operating procedure (SOP) prioritising public safety. The SOP will mandate pre-flight technical checks, accurate weather assessments, installation of live weather cameras at helipads, and the deployment of experienced pilots.
Only twin-engine helicopters will be allowed for commercial operations.
The committee, comprising officials from DGCA, UCADA, the ministry of civil aviation and Air Traffic Control (ATC), is expected to submit its report by Sept.
The CM also called for stricter enforcement of DGCA guidelines and ordered the installation of advanced weather forecasting systems in the Himalayan region to improve flight safety. "The helicopter services must be completely safe, transparent and in accordance with prescribed standards.
Passenger safety cannot be compromised, especially in the sensitive and high-altitude Char Dham region," Dhami said.
The Rudraprayag district administration has been tasked with facilitating the safe return of the victims' mortal remains to their respective states.
Senior officials, including chief secretary Anand Bardhan, DGCA director general Faiz Ahmad Kidwai, civil aviation secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha and disaster management authorities, attended the meeting virtually.
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