Page 7 - Uttarakhand

Pilot killed in Uttarakhand crash served in Indian Army for over 15 years

Rajveer Singh Chauhan, the pilot of the helicopter that crashed in Uttarakhand early Sunday killing all seven on board, had served in the Indian Army for over 15 years and had vast experience of flying missions over different terrains. A resident of Shastri Nagar in Jaipur, Chauhan was working as a pilot with Aryan Aviation Private Ltd since October 2024. Chauhan was the captain of Bell 407 helicopter that crashed on Sunday morning near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand. Besides him, six people were killed in the accident. Having worked in the Indian Army, Chauhan had a vast experience of flying missions over different terrains, overseeing aerial operations and had been trained in different types of helicopters and their maintenance, according to his LinkedIn profile. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed sorrow over the demise of seven people. "The death of seven people, including Jaipur resident pilot Rajveer Singh Chauhan, in the helicopter crash near Kedarnath is extremely sad.

3 of family from Maharashtra among 7 killed in Uttarakhand helicopter crash

A couple and their two-year-old daughter hailing from Yavatmal in Maharashtra were among the seven persons killed after a helicopter crashed near the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand on Sunday, a former legislator said. The helicopter took off from Kedarnath for Guptkashi around 5.30 am and crashed soon after above the forests of Gaurikund. Five pilgrims, the pilot and an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee was among those killed, as per officials. The deceased included Rajkumar Jaiswal, a transport businessman, his wife Shraddha, and their two-year-old daughter Kashi, hailing from Yavatmal, former Wani MLA Vishvas Nandekar told reporters. Jaiswal along with his family members had left from Wani in Yavatmal on June 12 to visit the Lord Kedarnath temple, as per their family friends. The crash site is located nearly 5 km above Gaurikund known as Gauri Mai Khark. Sources said the chopper belonging to Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan

Helicopter with 7 on board, flying from Dehradun to Kedarnath, crashes

A passenger helicopter, with seven people on board (including the pilot), crashed in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag/Gaurikund area during a flight between Kedarnath and Guptkashi

DGCA orders special audit of chopper services in U'khand to check accidents

Aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered special audits/enhanced surveillance into helicopter operations involved in shuttle services in Uttarakhand following a spate of "occurrences" involving choppers during the Char Dham Yatra, according to an official statement on Monday. As a precautionary measure, DGCA is also reviewing the necessity of "curtailing" helicopter operations to Char Dham if required, it said. On June 7, six people, including the pilot, had a narrow escape last Saturday when a Kestrel Aviation helicopter on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand after developing a technical snag during take-off. DGCA has also intensified its oversight of Char Dham helicopter operations by actively monitoring live camera feeds provided by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) at Kedarnath, it said. Recently, multiple occurrences involving helicopter operati

Army chief Upendra Dwivedi reviews operational readiness in Uttarakhand

During the visit, General Dwivedi interacted with the personnel of the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

Uttarakhand chokes under tourist rush; Delhi man dies in Mussoorie jam

Mussoorie and other tourist destinations in Uttarakhand witnessed massive traffic congestion over the weekend, leading to the death of a 62-year-old man from Delhi

Women-led development under PM Modi transforming India: Uttarakhand CM

Chief Minister said that this change was possible not only by schemes but by the faith of a public leader who believes that India will develop only when the daughters of the country are empowered

BJP MLA Adesh Chauhan sentenced to six months imprisonment, gets bail

The special CBI court in Dehradun on Monday sentenced BJP MLA from Haridwar's Ranipur Adesh Chauhan to six months imprisonment in a 16-year-old case. Special CBI judge Sandeep Bhandari convicted MLA Chauhan of assaulting some people at a Haridwar police station in 2009 and sentenced his niece Deepika to six months imprisonment. Three policemen involved in the case were sentenced to one year imprisonment each. One of the three policemen died during the trial. Advocate Neeraj Kamboj, who represented Chauhan in the case, said that the court sentenced Chauhan and Deepika to six months each and three policemen to one year each. Kamboj said that after the court pronounced the verdict, the MLA and all others immediately got bail. He said he will soon challenge the CBI court's decision in the sessions court. According to the case, Deepika Chauhan had accused her husband Manish and his family of dowry harassment. Taking action in the case, the police brought Manish and his family to Ganga

NITI Aayog meeting: PM calls for faster development, states back Op Sindoor

At the NITI Aayog meeting, PM Modi urged states to develop future-ready cities and one world-class tourist spot each to help achieve the goal of a developed India (Viksit Bharat) by 2047

Hundreds stranded on Kailash Yatra after landslide in Uttarakhand

A Border Roads Organisation team is working to clear debris and restore access after a major landslide blocked the Adi Kailash route in Pithoragarh

16th Finance Commission will submit report to Centre by Oct 31: Chairman

Chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission Dr. Arvind Panagariya on Monday said the commission will submit its report to the central government by October 31. Panagariya said this in a meeting of the commission held here with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The chairman praised Uttarakhand for moving ahead rapidly on the development front and said that in view of the difficult geographical conditions, extensive discussions will be held to find solutions to the challenges being faced by other hill states, including Uttarakhand. Earlier in the meeting, CM Dhami presented his views on the financial situation, challenges and development needs of the state. He requested the Finance Commission to provide suitable compensation in keeping with the spirit of 'environmental federalism' in view of Uttarakhand's 'eco service cost', increase the weightage of forest cover in 'tax-devolution' to 20 per cent and consider special grants for proper management and conservation of forests in the

Close call for 3 as heli ambulance makes emergency landing in Kedarnath

A 'Sanjeevani' heli ambulance operated by AIIMS, Rishikesh on Saturday made an emergency landing in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath after developing a technical snag, an official said. Two doctors and a pilot on board the helicopter are safe, District Tourism Development Officer Rahul Chaubey said. The Sanjeevani heli ambulance had gone to Kedarnath to rescue a pilgrim suffering from respiratory distress when it developed a technical snag in its tail rotor forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, said Chaubey, who is also the nodal officer for the Heli Service said. The heli ambulance's tail rotor broke when it was making an emergency landing on a flat surface close to the helipad, he said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will conduct an investigation into the incident, Choubey said. The heli ambulance was coming to Kedarnath from AIIMS Rishikesh to rescue a patient, Shree Devi. Before landing on the main helipad of Kedarnath, the helicopter developed some technic

Six dead, 1 injured as helicopter crashes in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi

The incident occurred at 8:45 am in the border district of Uttarkashi near Ganganani. The helicopter was carrying six passengers and its captain. The cause of the crash is yet to be determined

Watch: Helicopter crashes in Uttarakhand, five dead

At least five people were killed and two were severely injured after a helicopter crashed in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.

₹1,700 cr approved for Joshimath rehab, first instalment released: CM Dhami

CM Dhami recalled that around 20 per cent of Joshimath town was affected by land subsidence in February 2023, resulting in widespread cracks in homes

All preparations in place for Char Dham Yatra amid heightened security

The Char Dham Yatra to the four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand will begin on Wednesday with the opening of the doors to the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples for devotees on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya, officials said on Tuesday. The doors to the other two Dhams -- Kedarnath and Badrinath -- will open on May 2 and May 4, respectively. The four temples remain closed for six months during winter. All preparations, including heightened security arrangements, have been completed for the Yatra, officials said. Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth reached Rishikesh on Tuesday and reviewed the security arrangements for the Yatra. Talking to reporters, the DGP said that in view of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, strict security arrangements have been made for the annual pilgrimage. "We will not compromise on the security of pilgrims," Seth said. Nearly 6,000 police personnel, 17 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and 10 companies of paramilitary force

Uttarakhand to strengthen startups, sets up venture fund of Rs 200 crore

CM Dhami said that a venture fund of Rs 200 crore has been set up to boost entrepreneurship in the state

Hindu Raksha Dal leader booked in Uttarakhand for threatening Kashmiris

A video of Sharma went viral on social media in which he demanded Kashmiri Muslims leave the state by Thursday morning

THDC synchronises first unit of 1,000 MW Tehri pumped storage project

State-owned THDC India on Thursday announced synchronisation of the first 250 MW unit of its pumped storage plant (PSP) in pump condenser mode at Tehri in Uttarakhand. In pump condenser mode of operation, the turbine is used to generate electricity and simultaneously as a condenser or a heat exchanger. THDC India is constructing a 1,000-MW (250 MW X 4 units) PSP project at Tehri. "CMD R K Vishnoi has announced achievement towards successful commissioning of India's first variable speed 1,000 MW PSP at Tehri with the successful synchronisation of its first unit (of 250 MW) to the Indian grid in pump condenser mode," THDC India said in a statement. The synchronisation took place on Wednesday. With the completion of this pumped storage project, the tehri hydro power complex will have a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. The company is currently operating 1,000-MW Tehri HPP (hydro power project) and 400-MW Koteshwar HEP (hydro electric power). Based in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, THD

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to resume on June 30 after five-year gap

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will begin on June 30, after a gap of five years, an official statement said on Monday. The yatra will pass through the Lipulekh Pass located at an altitude of 17,000 feet in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, it said. The pilgrimage, which is organised every year, was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and since then it could not be conducted. But, due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, it will be conducted this year, it said. A meeting was held in New Delhi on Monday regarding the yatra under the aegis of the Uttarakhand government and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. During the meeting, the responsibility of conducting the pilgrimage was handed over to the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, it said. The yatra will commence from Delhi on June 30 in which there will be five groups of 50 people each, a total of 250 devotees, will take part. The first group for Kailash Mansarovar Y