Latest news with #Badrinath
NDTV
5 days ago
- General
- NDTV
No Radars, Weather Updates Behind Rise In Uttarakhand Chopper Crashes
Sunday's chopper crash in Uttarakhand was the fifth helicopter accident in the last six weeks that has triggered outrage and concern among people and has sent officials scrambling for answers. 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. Social activist Anoop Nautiyal on Monday asked aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) to halt helicopter operations on the Chardham Yatra route for the entire pilgrimage season this year, urging the government to build an infrastructure suitable for safe flying in the challenging Himalayan terrain. "Since we have had five heli crashes in the past 6 weeks, why can't you simply put a complete stop on helicopter operations for this year's yatra season. This time should be utilised in preparing the much needed infrastructure for aero safety on the Char Dham Yatra route," Mr Nautiyal posted on X addressing the DGCA. He emphasised that the lives of pilots and pilgrims are at risk with "no Air Traffic Control (ATC), no radars and no real-time weather updates". Five adults, an infant and one crew member were on board the Aryan Aviation's Bell 407 helicopter operating in the "Shri Kedarnath Ji - Aryan Helipad, Guptkashi" sector that crashed on Sunday, the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement. The helicopter took off from Guptkashi at 05:10 am and landed at Shri Kedarnath Ji Helipad at 05:18 am before departing again at 05:19 am for Guptkashi and is reported to have crashed near Gaurikund between 05:30 am and 05:45 am, the statement said. A case has been registered against helicopter service operating firm Aryan Aviation Private Ltd for alleged negligence in connection with the chopper crash which killed all seven people on board, including a two-year-old child and the pilot. The complaint states that Aryan Aviation was allotted the first slot from 6 am to 7 am for helicopter operations on June 15, while this accident happened before that at 5:30 am. The first flying slot opens at 6 am. Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami said it has been decided to set up a common "Command and Coordination Center" in Dehradun for better coordination and safe operation of helicopters. Here's a look at previous accidents: On May 8, a helicopter going to Gangotri Dham crashed in Uttarkashi district in which six people were killed. On June 7, a helicopter going to Kedarnath had to make an emergency landing on the road due to a technical fault soon after take-off in which the pilot was injured but the five devotees on board were rescued safely. On May 12, a helicopter returning from Badrinath to Sersi with pilgrims on board had to make an emergency landing in a school playground in Ukhimath due to poor visibility. All pilgrims were safe. On May 17, a heli ambulance from AIIMS Rishikesh crash-landed near the Kedarnath helipad in Uttarakhand due to damage to its rear part. Fortunately, all three occupants on board - a doctor, a pilot, and a medical staff member - escaped unharmed In contrast to last 14 years, 13 helicopter accidents have happened in the Kedarnath Valley in which 41 people have died. A helicopter operator, who previously ran a helicopter service in Kedarnath valley, pointed out that the companies providing helicopter services here keep the helicopter circling around Kedarnath without stopping, suggesting it as one of the reasons behind the rise in accidents. The operator did not wish to be named. The companies that provide service in the Kedarnath valley are given Shuttle Flying Slots every 10 days by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). According to these shuttle flying slots, the aviation companies fly their helicopters in the Kedarnath valley and take the devotees for the visit and darshan of Kedarnath Dham. "The helicopter flights to Kedarnath are conducted as per DGCA norms i.e. SOP. An aviation company has permission to fly three times in an hour from Guptkashi and an aviation company flies four times in an hour from Phata and Sirsi," said UCADA CEO Sonika. The officer said that the ATC has a weather station in Kedarnath, the weather office IMD is also going to set up its station there and "we also have weather surveillance cameras", adding that weather is so unpredictable and the terrain so difficult that safety measures will have to be put in place. How many trips are helicopter companies allowed to make? The companies operate from three helipads in Kedarnath Dham. Helicopter services run from Guptkashi, Phata, Sirsi helipads. Nine aviation companies are providing services in Kedarnath valley and each company gets 7 to 8 hours flying slots. In this 8-hour slot, the helicopter gets 25 minutes for refuelling after every hour. Apart from this, each company has two pilots as per the time given to the company. If 8-hour flying slots are given, then one pilot will fly for 4 hours and the other for 4 hours. If 7-hour flying slots is given, then one pilot will fly for 3:30 hours and the other will fly for 3:30 hours. Apart from this, when the helicopter returns after completing the last flying slot, it is mandatory to have 100 litres of fuel in it, according to the DGCA rules. NDTV has learnt that an aviation company gets approximately 24 trips a day from Guptkashi, 32 trips a day from Phata and approximately 32 trips a day from Sirsi. According to the DGCA rules, 6 helicopters can fly at a time in Kedarnath valley. After the completion of the time of three helicopters, three more helicopters can fly, that is, 6 helicopters can fly regularly in Kedarnath valley at a time, in which 6 helicopters will fly towards Kedarnath and three helicopters will fly back from Kedarnath to Guptkashi Phata and Sirsi. A former helicopter operator told NDTV that Kedarnath valley is the most difficult flying zone for helicopters because the weather mostly turns bad from Rambada to Jungle Chatti or there is fog and clouds in the valley which make it difficult to fly the helicopter. Additionally, single engine helicopters fly here and they have to fly in the valley itself because the wind flows downwards from Kedarnath to Gauri Kund and Sonprayag. All the four dhams in Uttarakhand are in the Himalayan region above 3,000 meters, where the weather creates the biggest problem for the helicopters. What's the weight that helicopters can carry? The helicopters are not allowed to take off with a full tank. Also, the weight of passengers cannot exceed 380 kg and the luggage of each passenger should not be more than 2 kg. One of the major reasons for the accidents is that there is no Air Traffic Control System due to which there is a lot of difficulty in monitoring the helicopter service. Also, there is no weather office here so that information about bad weather can be immediately given to the helicopter pilots, which can help in preventing these accidents. "Officers of DGCA and other agencies will be permanently placed here. An integrated command control coordination and communication centre will be developed here," said Anand Vardhan, Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand.
NDTV
11-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Watch: RCB Fans Brutally Troll CSK's IPL Winner At TNPL Game. Return Gesture Is Viral
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed S Badrinath is a longtime supporter of Chennai Super Kings and played for them from 2008 to 2013. He won two IPL titles with CSK in 2010 and 2011, along with a Champions League title in 2010. Badrinath was recently trolled by RCB fans during a Tamil Nadu Premier League match, responding positively. S Badrinath has been one of the staunchest supporters of Chennai Super Kings and has in the past indulged in banter regarding RCB not winning the IPL before 2025. Badrinath made his debut for the five-time in 2008 season and played for them till 2013. Badrinath won two IPL titles with CSK in 2010 and 2011 along with a Champions League Twenty20 title in 2010. Recently Badrinath was trolled by Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans during a Tamil Nadu Premier League match. He gestured thumbs up to the fans. Here's the video of his humiliation. — (@vinoo_96) June 10, 2025 Meanwhile, The share prices of United Sprits went up by over 3 per cent on Tuesday after reports surfaced that its parent company - Diageo - was looking to sell stakes in IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Social media was abuzz with rumours with many suggesting that company was looking to capitalise on RCB's victory in IPL 2025. However, United Spirits issued a clarification denying any such reports. "This has reference to your email communication dated 10th June 2025 seeking clarification from the Company on media reports in relation to potential stake sale of RCB. The Company would like to clarify that aforesaid media reports are speculative in nature and it is not pursuing any such discussions," United Spirits told the Bombay Stock Exchange and BSE Surveillance Department. Meanwhile, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has strongly criticised the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise and the Karnataka state government for the tragic stampede that claimed 11 lives and left several others injured during the team's victory parade in Bengaluru earlier this month. Following RCB's maiden IPL title win, thousands of jubilant fans gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, where the official celebrations were held. However, the event took a devastating turn as the overcrowded venue led to chaos when fans attempted to forcefully enter the stadium, resulting in a deadly stampede. Speaking exclusively to IANS, Lalit Modi expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and labelled the incident as a case of gross mismanagement. "First and foremost, my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede. This should never have happened. The entire event was poorly planned and executed," Modi said. "There is so much mudslinging and finger-pointing going on, but the issue is simple — the event should never have been allowed without proper arrangements in place. The authorities failed, and the team management should also have ensured fan safety before participating in the so-called celebrations."
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Char Dham yatra: 3 pilgrims from different states die of heart attack
Dehradun: Three pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu died of heart attacks on different routes of the Char Dham yatra on Thursday, said officials. With these, the total number of pilgrim deaths during this year's yatra has crossed 89, as per the state emergency operation centre. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The deceased have been identified as Ram Kumar, 62, from Uttar Pradesh, Bato Bai Yadav, 65, from Madhya Pradesh, and Venu Gopal, 70, from Tamil Nadu. Kumar was found unconscious near Bheembali on the Kedarnath trek route and was taken to a nearby health centre, where doctors declared him dead. Yadav, who was on the yatra with her family, died near Janki Chatti on the Yamunotri route while Venu Gopal died in the Gangotri area. Of those who have died on the yatra route during this year's pilgrimage, most succumbed to health issues, primarily cardiac-related, according to govt data. The four shrines are located at elevations exceeding 10,000ft in the Garhwal Himalayas, making the pilgrimage particularly challenging for individuals with underlying health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or ailments related to the heart, kidney, liver and respiratory system. The high altitude results in lower oxygen levels and extreme cold, often dipping below freezing, which poses serious risks for those with comorbidities. Pilgrims found with such conditions during health screenings are counselled about the associated risks. Authorities have maintained that a robust health infrastructure is in place along the yatra route, including 69 medical officers, 121 staff nurses, 26 pharmacists, 309 oxygen-equipped beds, six ICU beds, 13 departmental ambulances, one blood bank, and two blood storage units. The annual yatra began with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines on April 30, followed by the ceremonial reopening of the Kedarnath and Badrinath temples on May 2 and May 4, respectively.
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi CM prays at Kedarnath, Badrinath shrines
Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday offered prayers at the Kedarnath and Badrinath temples in Uttarakhand, marking 100 days of her government in Delhi. 'The experience filled my heart with unique peace and immense energy… it is by the grace of the Lord that I have been entrusted with the responsibility of serving Delhi...I sought Baba's blessings to fulfil the goal of a 'viksit' Delhi,' she said. Gupta later visited the Badrinath temple. She said she sought blessings from the Lord Badrivishal for residents of Delhi. 'My wish is to see our Delhi become a prosperous, clean, and cultured metropolis — where tradition and progress walk hand in hand… 'Developed Delhi' is not just a vision of physical development, but a commitment to build a capital city where basic amenities reach every citizen—where modern healthcare, education, and other services are available to all, enabling Delhi to emerge as a global city,' she said on Monday. On Sunday morning, the CM had visited Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar and took a holy dip in the Ganga River along with her family before she went to attend spiritual programmes and also visited several spiritual leaders. In the evening on Sunday, CM Gupta participated in the Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Weapons made in U.P. will haunt enemy for long: Dhankhar
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said the Indian defence forces had proved to the world that the new India is prepared to answer any threat. He also said defence products manufactured in Uttar Pradesh will haunt the enemy for a long time as these demolished hideouts of terrorist outfits. Dhankhar was speaking as the chief guest at an event to mark the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar in Agra. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya were present on the occasion. Union minister of state and Agra MP Prof SP Singh Baghel welcomed the guests. The vice president praised Ahilyabai Holkar for her governance and commitment to women empowerment as well as her contribution to renovation of temples damaged by invaders. Ahilyabai Holkar, who ruled Malwa (Indore) when it was part of the Maratha empire in the 18th century, was well known for her social welfare and humanitarian work. 'This day of the birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar is not only historic, but also an occasion for us to follow the philosophy of life that Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar showed. We need to express commitment to follow her principles because she was not only a good ruler, but also a representative of the high values of Indian heritage, a custodian of religion and culture,' the vice president said. 'She revived countless temples, including the Somnath Temple in Gujarat, Kashi Vishwanath, Omkareshwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Bheema Shankar and Rameshwaram. After demolition by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, Ahilyabai Holkar revived the Kashi Vishwanath temple 100 years later. The ghats and beautification of the present-day Kashi is the outcome of efforts by chief minister Yogi Adityanath under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' he added. He praised the Uttar Pradesh chief minister as a far-sighted leader who believes in work. 'Yogi Adityanath is following Ahilyabai Holkar in UP and history will remember him in the same way for his work,' the vice president said. 'Our armed forces gave a befitting reply to the cowardly attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam and defence products manufactured in Uttar Pradesh will haunt the enemy for long as they demolished destinations of terrorist outfits of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba within Pakistani territory. Brahmos taught them a lesson and our army proved to the world that it is a new India committed to ending terrorism and replying suitably to any threats posed to it,' the vice president said. 'Present-day Uttar Pradesh has been transformed into Uttam Pradesh and the rule of law prevails here unlike its image in the past. For us, the nation is foremost and nationalism is our religion. U.P. is now the centre of cultural heritage and it began with Prime Minister Narendra Modi opting for Varanasi as his constituency in 2014 and chief minister Yogi Adityanath took it forward. The recently held Mahakumbh proved it beyond doubt to the world,' Dhankhar said. 'I come from a farmer family and am proud to be so because Ahilyabai Holkar too was from a farmer family. The nation is progressing because farmers are committed to its growth. Holkar established high standards of women empowerment and created a unit of women soldiers. Present-day India, too, is a symbol of women empowerment in different arenas, including the armed forces, and now women are to get reservation in the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha too,' he said. The vice president's wife Dr Sudesh Dhankar, Maharashtra Legislative Council chairman Prof Ramshankar Rao Shinde, former Goa deputy CM Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, MP PK Parthsarthi and Bastipati Nagaraju were also present.
