Kedarnath Helicopter Crashes Prompt Supreme Court Scrutiny
SC seeks answers on Kedarnath chopper crashes during Chardham Yatra.
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Uttarakhand government regarding a series of helicopter crashes, particularly along the Kedarnath route of the Chardham Yatra. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices on a plea highlighting the alarming frequency of these incidents, scheduling a follow-up hearing in four weeks.
The plea draws attention to a tragic June 15 crash in Gaurikund, where a helicopter carrying pilgrims from the Kedarnath shrine plummeted into a forest amid poor visibility, claiming all seven lives on board, including a two-year-old child and the pilot. Operated by a private firm, this marked the fifth helicopter accident on the Chardham Yatra route since April 30. The civil aviation ministry responded by suspending the firm’s operations for the pilgrimage and directing the DGCA to deploy officers to oversee helicopter activities in the Kedarnath valley.
Other incidents include a June 7 emergency landing due to a technical fault, injuring the pilot but sparing five devotees, and a May 12 emergency landing in a school playground in Ukhimath due to poor visibility, with all pilgrims safe. A May 8 crash in Uttarkashi en route to Gangotri Dham killed six people.
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The Supreme Court’s intervention underscores growing concerns over aviation safety on this critical pilgrimage route, prompting calls for stringent oversight and preventive measures to protect devotees.
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