In a move to enhance safety for helicopter operations in the Kedarnath valley, authorities will soon install Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras and Very High Frequency (VHF) radio sets to provide real-time weather updates to pilots. This step comes after three helicopter accidents this pilgrimage season, which claimed seven lives, including a pilot.
Ahead of the second phase of the Kedarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin in September, a joint team from Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and Amazon Web Services (AWS) surveyed the heli-route from various helipads to the shrine. The inspection, led by UCADA operations head Randhir Katoch, aimed to strengthen aerial safety.
Cameras and VHF systems will be installed at key points along the helicopter corridor, including Gaurikund, Junglechatti, Lincholi, Bhimbali, and Rudra Point. These tools will offer pilots critical live updates about weather changes, wind direction, and potential emergency landing scenarios, thereby helping to prevent accidents.
The IMD and AWS teams will soon submit a detailed report to UCADA. Additionally, trained ground staff will be deployed to support live weather monitoring during the yatra.
