UCADA official dies after being hit by chopper’s tail rotor at Kedarnath
Monday, 24 April 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
CM orders probe, directs officials to ensure observance of safety protocols
The finance controller of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) Amit Saini died on Sunday after being accidentally hit by the tail rotor of a helicopter in Kedarnath. The chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed grief at the mishap and ordered a probe into the incident. The officials said that the mishap occurred at the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) helipad at Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district on Sunday at about 2:15 PM. Saini was part of a UCADA team which had visited the helipad to take stock of the arrangements for the helicopter services to Kedarnath temple which is scheduled to reopen to the public on April 25.
The superintendent of police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane said that Saini came in the range of the rotor blades of the helicopter and sustained severe neck injuries and died on the spot. The police are investigating the matter, she said. Expressing his condolences on the accidental death of Saini, the CM ordered the authorities to probe the cause of the incident leading to the death of the official. He also directed the officials concerned to make appropriate arrangements to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future leading to any severe accidents or loss of life. He also directed the officials to ensure all safety protocols are followed for people travelling by helicopter during the Char Dham Yatra especially when they are embarking and disembarking at helipads.
It should be mentioned here that the incident occurred a day after the Char Dham Yatra began on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya with the reopening of portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarkashi district for pilgrims.
