The Uttarakhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the recent chopper crash near Kedarnath that claimed seven lives, directing the state government to clarify the safety standards for helicopter travel during the Char Dham Yatra.

A division bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra raised serious concerns about the spate of helicopter accidents along the pilgrimage route. Noting that another crash in Uttarkashi on May 8 had killed six, including the pilot, the bench pointed out that five crashes in just two months had led to 13 fatalities, demanding urgent scrutiny.

The Court asked the government to submit a response addressing several issues, including:

• Whether helicopters deployed for the Yatra were operating as per prescribed norms and schedule

• What safety checks were in place

• If flying in adverse weather conditions was being properly regulated

The bench stressed that negligence in aviation safety during such a sensitive pilgrimage could lead to catastrophic consequences and called for utmost precaution.

Chief Standing Counsel Chandrashekar Rawat informed the court that heli-services had currently been suspended and that the State was working on enhancing safety protocols for future operations.

The matter is expected to be taken up again after the government files its reply.