Lok Sabha Question No. 716 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-04
Subject: Safety Measures for Char Dham Yatra
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Dulu Mahato, Dr. Hemang Joshi, Shri Shivmangal Singh Tomar, Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi, Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Dr. Vinod Kumar Bind, Smt. D K Aruna, Shri Narayan Tatu Rane, Shri Chandan Chauhan, Shri Radheshyam Rathiya, Shri Vijay Baghel, Smt. Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam, Ms Kangna Ranaut, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 716

(To be answered on the 4 th December 2025)

## SAFETY MEASURES FOR CHAR DHAM YATRA

716.             SMT POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL SHRI DULU MAHATO SHRI CHANDAN CHAUHAN SMT KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT SHRI RADHESHYAM RATHIYA SMT MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA DR. HEMANG JOSHI SHRI NARAYAN TATU RANE SHRI AMAR SHARADRAO KALE SHRI CHAVDA VINOD LAKHAMSHI SMT D K ARUNA SHRI SHIVMANGAL SINGH TOMAR SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI DR. VINOD KUMAR BIND MS KANGNA RANAUT

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:-

- (a) the safety and regulatory measures introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for helicopter operations during the Char Dham Yatra, 2025, especially post-monsoon;
- (b) the number of helipads and helicopter operators inspected, audited or cleared under the new regime before commencement of the operations; (c) the number of passengers transported during the resumed operations and the manner in which these measures have improved reliability and safety; and (d) the plan of the Government to replicate such safety-enhanced helicopter connectivity models in other pilgrimage or remote regions with difficult terrain across the country?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a):  The  following  additional  safety  measures  were  implemented by stakeholders including DGCA for helicopter operations during the post monsoon phase of the Char Dham Yatra to enhance operational safety: (i) Additional familiarisation flights for all pilots operating in the sector for the first time or resuming operations after a break  of more  than  one  year.  (ii)  Operationalisation  of  Control  Rooms  at Sahastradhara Helipad (Dehradun) and Sitapur (Kedarnath), manned by an Officerin-Charge from UCADA, responsible for issuing go/no-go decisions based on realtime assessment of weather and traffic conditions.

(iii) Deployment of one ATC officer and one IMD officer at each Control Room to ensure  effective  R/T  communication  with  helicopters  in  flight  and  continuous dissemination of critical weather information.

(iv) Installation of additional weather cameras along the Char Dham and Kedarnath routes to strengthen weather monitoring and reporting.

(b):  A  total  of  six  helicopter  operators  operating  from  seven  helipads  were inspected/audited by DGCA before granting permission for the commencement of operations to Kedarnath.

For Char Dham operations, DGCA inspected/audited 12 operators and 10 helipads prior to granting operational approval.

(c): The total number of passengers transported during the post-monsoon season is as under:

| Sector    | Passengers Up   | Passengers Down   |
|-----------|-----------------|-------------------|
| Kedarnath | 27,812          | 27,489            |
| Char Dham | 3,675           | 3,614             |

The operations were conducted in a safe and well-planned manner.

(d): DGCA intends to replicate these safety measures in all Yatra and remote area helicopter operations. Operations Circular 02 of 2023 (Helicopter Pilgrimage Yatra Operations) has been suitably amended, making these measures applicable for all Yatra operations.

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