Seven out of nine companies are now providing helicopter services on the Kedarnath route. Indocopter Private Limited is the latest company to start flights from Phata to Kedarnath on Monday.
For the last two empty slots Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) started the re-tendering procedure on May 17. The tender will open on May 23, after which Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will conduct its inspection.Nodal officer Surendra Singh Panwar, who is appointed by Rudraprayag administration said, “Indocopter started providing services from Monday.
Though, because of the weather conditions, helicopter services were delayed for few hours’ at all three helipads. Till late evening the helicopter companies were flying to and from Kedarnath.”
When asked about the government’s online procedure for helicopter ticket booking, the Chief Executive Officer of UCADA, Dilip Jawalkar said, “The 30 per cent online ticket booking that is to be done by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam will start from May 26.”
It is worth mentioning here that the state administration is trying to keep all 100 per cent of the ticket booking authority with GMVN and UCADA from the next session of the Yatra season that will start after post monsoon, most probably from September 1.
According to the sources at UCADA, the final two slots will also be taken up by companies which are expected to start their services from May 27.
With the online ticket booking of helicopters full till mid June, the state administration from its 30 per cent of the share is prioritising old and physically unfit people.