Chopper services under scrutiny after crashes

Uttarakhand continues to experience the full impact of the monsoon, with light to moderate rainfall along with gusty winds experienced in most of the district over the past 24 hours until Tuesday morning.

- Amit Bathla

MUSSOORIE: This normal monsoon activity has, however, led to significant disruptions across the state with 205 roads closed due to landslides and boulder falls, till Tuesday.

The IMD has issued an orange alert, forecasting heavy to very heavy rain/thunderstorms accompanied by lightning or intense to very intense spells of rain at isolated places in Dehradun and Tehri districts. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are also likely in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi, and Nainital districts. Similar conditions are expected in the remaining hilly districts for July 2nd, with Pithoragarh and Bageshwar also on alert for heavy rainfall.

"In Rudraprayag 22 roads were closed out of which 11 were under PMGSY, 10 were under PWD and 1 was under state highway authority and the work was on to open the roads," said the duty officer district disaster management authority Chamoli.

The Badrinath and Kedarnath yatra routes were opened for pilgrims and the yatra was going on in smooth away although with caution in the Chamoli and Rudraprayag district on Tuesday.

DEHRADUN: At 5.20 am on June 15, a helicopter landed at the Kedarnath helipad. Four ground crew members approached to assist boarding and passengers were guided in swiftly.

Within 90 seconds, another chopper landed to its left. Two seconds later, the first helicopter took off. At 5.23 am, a third chopper landed at the same spot vacated by the first. Three seconds later, the second took off. Two minutes later, the third was gone too.

This rapid series of sorties came just minutes before one of those choppers crashed between 5.30 and 5.45 am near Gaurikund, killing all seven on board.

The crash occurred despite adverse weather and new safety restrictions issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after a June 7 incident where a helicopter crash-landed on a highway.