Chardham yatra helicopter crash, Chardham yatra helicopter services suspended, Kedarnath chopper cra

Services

Equity Investment with CA Abhay

FNO Stocks with CA Abhay

Option Trading with CA Abhay

Equity Trading with CA Abhay

Stock Market Masterclass

Chardham yatra helicopter services suspended for two days after Kedarnath crash

NOOR MOHMMED

16/Jun/2025

Chardham helicopter services suspended for June 15 and 16 after a fatal crash killed seven people
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami chaired an emergency meet to issue stricter SOPs and safety norms
Weather and repeated crashes cited as reasons for halting heli services and reviewing aviation safet

The Chardham yatra in Uttarakhand suffered a major setback on Sunday, June 15, 2025, after a tragic helicopter crash near Kedarnath claimed the lives of seven people, including the pilot. In the wake of the accident, helicopter services across the Chardham route were suspended for two days, i.e., June 15 and June 16, as confirmed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

The crash occurred during a return flight from Kedarnath, near Guptkashi, involving a helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt. Ltd. The incident marks the fifth aviation accident on the Chardham route since the yatra began on April 30, 2025, raising serious concerns about flight safety and emergency preparedness.

Chief Minister Holds Emergency Meeting

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami immediately convened an emergency video conference with senior officials, including Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, representatives from DGCA, and UCADA (Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority).

During the meeting, the Chief Minister stressed that passenger safety is the highest priority. He announced that helicopter services will be halted for June 15 and 16 due to adverse weather conditions and as a preventive safety measure.

SOPs and Safety Protocols to Be Revised

Mr. Dhami directed officials to issue a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing helicopter operations during the yatra. He also proposed the establishment of a dedicated Control and Command Centre in Dehradun to monitor helicopter movements and weather patterns in real-time.

He further ordered that only experienced pilots should be allowed to fly in the upper Himalayan region, where weather conditions can shift drastically and rapidly.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was told to conduct an immediate compliance review of all operators flying on the Chardham route.

Recurring Safety Lapses on Chardham Route

This is not an isolated incident. Since April 30, the Chardham yatra route has witnessed five helicopter-related incidents, either crashes or emergency landings. Experts and government officials believe this alarming frequency points to systemic issues in helicopter safety, training, maintenance, and real-time decision-making.

The upper Himalayas present a unique challenge to aviation due to their unpredictable weather, difficult terrain, and limited emergency response infrastructure.

Role of DGCA and UCADA in Safety Oversight

The DGCA and UCADA have been instructed to jointly review weather forecasts, pilot readiness, aircraft maintenance logs, and emergency planning protocols. Aviation companies operating on the route have been advised not to resume flights without regulatory clearance.

The government will also be looking into licensing practices, risk assessment models, and communication systems to prevent any future loss of life.

Immediate Measures Being Taken

The following actions are being implemented on an emergency basis:

Suspension of all helicopter services on the Chardham route for 48 hours
Emergency audit of all aviation operators on pilgrimage routes
Deployment of a real-time command centre in Dehradun for aerial monitoring
Enforcement of stricter SOPs for high-altitude operations
Mandatory weather clearance before take-off from helipads

These steps aim to restore faith in the heli services among pilgrims and their families.

Pilgrims Urged to Exercise Patience and Caution

While many pilgrims rely on helicopter services due to age or physical limitations, authorities have requested public cooperation and urged yatris to wait for safety assurance before resuming their journeys.

The local administration is working with tour operators to provide updates and arrange alternate transport or refunds as applicable.

Call for Accountability and Review

Public pressure is mounting for accountability and better oversight. Social media and civil society groups have demanded that aviation companies involved in negligence be penalised and held responsible for the loss of lives.

Many have questioned why aviation operations are being permitted in marginal weather conditions, especially when earlier crashes had raised red flags.

Chardham’s Religious Importance and Tourism Dependency

The Chardham yatra includes four major Himalayan temples — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Each year, lakhs of devotees undertake the pilgrimage by road or air.

The state heavily depends on religious tourism, and safe heli connectivity is seen as a critical enabler for economic and spiritual activity. However, this incident has brought the spotlight back to balancing religious tourism with rigorous aviation safety standards.

Next Steps and Long-Term Solutions

The state government plans to work in tandem with:

DGCA for periodic reviews of operator licences and SOPs
UCADA for better coordination between aviation and weather departments
Meteorological agencies for more precise forecasts
Defence and disaster agencies for emergency planning

There is also talk of investing in better radar infrastructure, AI-powered weather prediction tools, and mountain-specific pilot training modules to make air travel over the Himalayas safer.

The Upcoming IPOs in this week and coming weeks are Safe Enterprises Retail Fixtures, Globe Civil Projects, Sambhav Steel Tubes, Ellenbarrie Indutrial Gases, Kalpataru, HDB Financials, AJC Jewel, ArisInfra Solutions, Influx Healthtech, Mayasheel Ventures, Eppeltone Engineers.

The Current active IPO are Oswal Pumps, Patil Automation, Samay Projects Services, Aten Papers, Monolithisch India.

Start your Stock Market Journey and Apply in IPO by Opening Free Demat Account in Choice Broking FinX.

Join our Trading with CA Abhay Telegram Channel for regular Stock Market Trading and Investment Calls by CA Abhay Varn - SEBI Registered Research Analyst.

Services

Chardham yatra helicopter services suspended for two days after Kedarnath crash

Related News