Uttarakhand: Three helicopter accidents in 10 days, 6 dead; Air accidents in Chardham Yatra area raise questions

Three helicopter accidents have happened in the Char Dham Yatra area in ten days. During this period, six people have lost their lives. Despite this, the government system remains careless. In the hilly areas, helicopter flights have been increasing for the past few years, due to which the risk of accidents is increasing.

On the 8th of this month, a seven-seater chartered helicopter crashed near Ganganai in Uttarkashi. Six people including the pilot Robin died in it. On May 12, a helicopter of Thumby Aviation skidded on the Badrinath helipad. There were six people including the pilot on board.

Fortunately, the helicopter did not take off at that time. On Saturday, a heli ambulance had to make an emergency landing in Kedarnath due to a broken tail rotor. During this, all three people including the pilot remained safe.

Whatever may be the technical reason for these accidents, but the way helicopters are flying recklessly in the narrow valleys of the mountain, there is a constant risk of accidents. People associated with the Char Dham Yatra say that the operation of helicopter service is correct in some ways, but the way flights are being conducted is not good for the local environment and surroundings.

The Civil Aviation Department has not made any efforts for safe flying of helicopters in the hilly region amidst the ever-changing weather, high mountains, dense forest areas and narrow valleys. Even in the sensitive Kedarnath and Badrinath Dhams, concrete arrangements have not been made for safe flying of helicopters.

Last year also, an emergency landing was made in Kedarnath

Last year on May 24, a helicopter going to Kedarnath from Phata with six passengers had also made an emergency landing. Then the pilot Kalpesh Marucha showed his wisdom and landed the helicopter on a sloping place. There were six passengers from Tamil Nadu in that helicopter.