Acting on increasing number of complaints from pilgrims, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Department Authority (UCADA) will be looking into the online booking of tickets that has been done by private helicopter companies operating flights to Kedarnath. According to the UCADA CEO Dilip Jawalkar, online booking of all seven helicopter companies is full till June 13.
CEO Jawalkar on Tuesday said, “We have asked for details from the companies regarding the online booking that has been done through their portals. We have asked for the list, so that is later the person on the name the ticket has been booked and the person who is flying are different we may know. If there is so much as even one ticket is sold through illegal procedures we will have the clarity about it. This is basically to ensure that the seats which the companies are showing as already full are not being subsequently filled by travel agents. We have sent them letters to provide us with the details latest by Wednesday; otherwise we will take action.”
When asked about the letters sent by Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal to UCADA seeking additional chopper services he said, “The DM has sent letters for additional choppers for the increasing number of pilgrims. As of now, the tenders for the final two companies are going to open on May 23 and after that on May 23 Directorate General of Civil Aviation will be conducting their inspection, so in that case for the time being he asked for additional helicopters. We are allowing two services for the time being. We have given permission to Pinnacle and Krystal Aviation for the time being.”