Uttarakhand news: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has taken a tough stand on the safety standards of helicopter services in Uttarakhand. He has given a clear warning to helicopter operators and concerned agencies that the safety of passengers should be given a top priority and no compromise will be made about it. The Chief Minister has also directed to conduct safety audit of helicopter accidents in previous years, so that recurrence of such incidents can be stopped in future.
In a high-level meeting with Yukada, DGCA and all helicopter service providers at the Chief Minister’s residence, CM Dhami said that instead of being satisfied with the increasing number of passengers, it is our greatest obligation to ensure their safety.
Major instructions given in the meeting:
Double engine helicopter mandatory: Yukada has been given the responsibility of formulating a solid policy for the operation of only double engine helicopters in the future. Weather cameras in every valley: For accurate weather information, now not only Kedarghati, but also in all Chardham valleys, weather cameras will be installed. Experienced pilots and better behavior: Only highly experienced pilots in the state will be allowed to flight and operators have been given strict instructions to keep sensitive behavior with passengers.
10 -year action plan: Yukada has been directed to prepare a detailed action plan for the next 10 years in view of the increasing demand for heli services in the state. The Chief Minister also asked the officials to study the successful model of the ongoing heli-service in Vaishno Devi. He also insisted on creating an effective SOP for regular fitness checks and ticket booking of the helicopter. This year, more than 66,000 passengers have taken advantage of helicopter shuttle service so far. In view of future needs, many new helipades are also being built in the state. In this important meeting, Principal Secretary R.K. Sudhanshu, Secretary R.K. Meenakshi Sundaram, Sachin Kurve and senior officials of the concerned departments were present.