Five helicopter operators carrying passengers in the Kedarnath Dham have been fined Rs 5 lakh each. The fine, imposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been imposed for anomalies in their flying records.
The DGCA also suspended officials from two other operators for three months on account of breaking safety rules. These irregularities came to light when it was decided to conduct an audit in June. In fact, on May 31, a helicopter carrying pilgrims to a high altitude had a hard landing following which, the regulators formed a team and an audit took place.
The DGCA formed a team for spot check of the choppers involved in shuttle operations in Kedarnath, according to a representative of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). “On June 7 and 8, the team conducted a spot check in which serious violations came to light, prompting it to hold a detailed audit of all operators undertaking the shuttle operations," the official added.
The audit was conducted by the audit team from 13 to 16 Jun 2022. The report said that five operators were found not maintaining correct flying records in their respective helicopter Technical Log Books.
In addition to the 05 operators mentioned above, another two operators i.e. total 07 operators, were found to have violated the provisions of the Joint SOP promulgated by DGCA. After that, Show Cause Notices (SCNs) were issued to all these seven operators involved in the violations.
The operations at Kedarnath are suspended during the monsoon months due to the inclement weather, and are thereafter recommenced by the operators in end-August / early September, although the quantum of flying in this second part reduces due to the reduced number of pilgrims. The operations are finally concluded in late October / early November, depending on the auspicious date decided by the Shrine Board for closure of shrine.
Against the backdrop of various incidents involving SpiceJet and other carriers in recent times, the civil aviation minister also said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set a target of carrying out 3,709 checks this year as part of its annual surveillance plan. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the target was around 2,775 checks.