Kedarnath Yatra: A helicopter carrying seven people, including the pilot, made an emergency landing in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath early on Friday due to a technical snag. The helicopter landed a few meters from the helipad near the Himalayan temple, according to an official. All seven individuals on board, including the pilot, are safe, the official confirmed.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said the helicopter took off from the Sirsi helipad for Kedarnath early on Friday. It developed a technical snag in its rear motor, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing a few metres from the helipad in Kedarnath, he said citing preliminary reports.
The pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision, averting a major mishap, Gaharwar said. Everyone is safe and the pilgrims have even returned after having "darshan" at the temple, he added. The incident occurred around 7 am and further investigations are underway, Gaharwar said.
FIR against issuance of fake registration documents
Earlier on May 22, Uttarakhand Police lodged nine FIRs against tour and travel operators in Rishikesh and Haridwar for issuing fake registration documents to pilgrims bound for Kedarnath. The FIRs were lodged at Rudraprayag Kotwali, a senior police official said. "We have gathered details about the tour and travel operators who forged the dates and names of pilgrims in the registration documents and presented them as genuine. They are based in Haridwar and Rishikesh. Stern action will soon be taken against all of them," Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane said.
Registration mandatory for Char Dham Yatra pilgrims
Uttarakhand government has made registration mandatory for all pilgrims coming for the Chardham Yatra. The state Chief Secretary Radha Raturi has issued an advisory for mandatory registration. With offline registration being stopped in Haridwar and Rishikesh, now devotees can come to the Chardham Yatra only after online registration.
According to an official release, this step has been taken keeping in mind the safety and convenience of the pilgrims. According to the advisory, pilgrims have been asked to come to the Yatra only after registration. If they come without registration, they can be stopped at the barrier or checkpoint. And if this happens, they will have to face great inconvenience. Travelers have been advised to come to the Yatra only on the scheduled date after registration. Go on the same route as the Dham you are coming to visit. Tour and travel agencies arranging the trip have also been asked to ensure whether the passengers have registered or not.
(With inputs from agencies)
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