In the wake of yet another helicopter tragedy near Gaurikund that claimed seven lives, the Uttarakhand government has decided to establish a centralised command and coordination centre in Dehradun for real-time monitoring of helicopter operations in the state. This move comes amid growing concerns over flight safety during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, with five helicopter-related incidents reported since the pilgrimage began on April 30 this year.
High-level response after fatal crash
The latest incident involved a Bell 407 helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation, which was flying from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it crashed near Gaurikund around 5:30am on Sunday due to poor visibility. All seven individuals onboard were killed. Following the crash, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened an emergency meeting, after which he announced the creation of a real-time monitoring command centre that will include representatives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), disaster management, civil aviation ministry, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, and private helicopter operators.
Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the safety of pilgrims and citizens is the government’s top priority and that no lapses will be tolerated. Operations of Aryan Aviation were immediately suspended, and helicopter services in the region were halted as a precautionary measure. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has been tasked with probing the cause of the crash.
Pilot review and legal action against operators
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami further directed that during the suspension period, the experience and qualifications of all pilots operating in high-altitude Himalayan areas will be thoroughly reviewed. He stressed that only those with sufficient experience in such conditions will be allowed to resume operations once a comprehensive safety review has been completed with all heli-operator stakeholders.
In a further development, the Sonprayag police registered an FIR against Aryan Aviation officials Kaushik Pathak and Vikas Tomar under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and relevant sections of the Vayuyan Act.
Aviation experts and former flight safety officials have raised alarm over the string of accidents, pointing to possible violations of standard operating procedures (SOPs) rather than just bad weather. Captain Sandeep Soti, former head of Uttarakhand’s flight safety, warned that the repeated accidents indicated systemic problems that needed urgent redress.
