Chardham Heli Services Suspended Until Monday Amid Safety Review, CM Orders High-Level Inquiry
After the tragic Kedarnath helicopter crash that claimed 7 lives, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered the suspension of all heli services till Monday. A high-level inquiry, SOP reform, and a new Command Center are among the emergency safety measures initiated.
Heli service for Char Dham will remain completely closed till Monday. The flying experiences of all the heli operators and pilots engaged in Char Dham in high Himalayan regions will be examined and the heli service will be resumed only after a meeting with all the heli operators. Now for better coordination and safe operation of heli flights in the state, a common "Command and Coordination Center" will be established in Dehradun, in which officials of DGCA, Disaster Department, Civil Aviation, UCADA, Heli Operator Company will be deployed. These instructions were given by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami during a meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence on Sunday.
The Chief Minister directed to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Secretary Home Uttarakhand. In which representatives of DGCA, UCADA, Civil Aviation Department Government of India, ATC will be members. This committee will draft the standard operating manual giving priority to public safety. The committee will submit its report before the month of September. The Chief Minister has also given instructions to prepare strict Administrative and Technical SOP (administrative and technical Standard Operating Procedure) for the operation of heli services in the state for the coming time.
The Chief Minister has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the helicopter crash in Rudraprayag. He said that at whatever level negligence has been committed, they should be identified and punitive action should be ensured against them. He said that protecting the lives of the common people is the priority of the state government. Life will not be allowed to be played with at any cost.
The Chief Minister said that only those pilots will be given permission who have long-term experience of flying heli in high Himalayan regions. He said that the guidelines set by the DGCA should be made more strict, which should be followed 100 percent. The Chief Minister also directed to install more number of state-of-the-art weather forecasting equipment in the Himalayan regions, so that more accurate weather information can be obtained. The Chief Minister also directed the District Administration Rudraprayag to contact the families of those who lost their lives in the accident and make proper arrangements to send their bodies to the respective states.
