Uttarakhand state will limit flight operations, deploy weather experts and set up command posts as part of tightened safety measures ahead of the Hajj season starting April 19, in view of five helicopter accidents in 40 days during last year’s Char Dham Yatra.
Officials said that at least 1,500 flight hours, including 750 hours in mountainous terrain, have been made mandatory for pilots to operate Hajj flights. They added that companies whose helicopters were involved in accidents last year were banned from operating this season, and a new tender process was conducted to replace them.
In June 2025, seven people were killed when a helicopter carrying pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashed near Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district, raising concerns about aviation safety.
Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) CEO Ashish Chauhan said flight operations were down by 30%. “Command centers will be fully functional at Sirsi in Rudraprayag and Sastradhara (Dehradun). Two temporary air traffic control (ATC) units will be operational. Work on the permanent air traffic control infrastructure will begin soon,” he said after a review meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI) and officials from UCADA to assess preparedness and compliance with safety directives before clearance for helicopter operations.
Chouhan said the preparation was satisfactory. He added that 33 cameras have been installed at helipads and other vital locations to provide real-time updates, including weather conditions, to enhance surveillance. “Six ATC officers and two AAI personnel will be stationed at Kedarnath, Badrinath, Sahastradahara and Sirsi.”
UCADA will deploy officials from the India Meteorological Department, officials said. Automated weather monitoring systems are being installed, and additional high-frequency communications systems will be used.
Slope correction works are being carried out at Kedarnath. Expansion of the helipad was underway at Badrinath, and specific flight paths were published. Marker balloons are installed on high-voltage power lines to improve visibility. “We have selected eight companies through a new tender process. Operators whose helicopters were involved in accidents in the last two years were not allowed to participate,” Chouhan said. “No pilot will be allowed to operate without familiarizing himself with the terrain of Kedarnath Valley,” Chauhan said.
Operators have been directed to keep an additional helicopter on standby. UCADA will ensure that regular maintenance checks are carried out and a common ground handling system is adopted. “The DGCA will independently monitor compliance with the SOPs. Its team will also conduct test flights with each operator without passengers to assess safety,” Chouhan said.
