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| 3 months on, Katra chopper crash report awaited | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 28: Three months on, the findings of the magisterial and civil aviation probes into Katra Chopper crash are still awaited.
Seven people, including a woman pilot and a newly-wed couple, were killed in November last year when a chopper ferrying them back from holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi crashed at Katra after catching fire, in the first fatal plane accident in this holy town.
Official sources said that soon after the incident the Shrine Board approached the DGCA for conducting investigation into the causes of the helicopter accident.
"Accordingly the team of DGCA next day visited Katra and started conducting detailed investigation at accident site.
However, the sources informed that since then there has been no major headway into the investigation of the DGCA.
Sources said that it was after the instructions of NN Vohra, Chairman, holy Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the DGCA was asked to conduct detailed Safety Audit of the Helicopter service operations between Katra-Sanjichhat-Katra sector and safety norms such as airworthiness of the helicopters, operation and maintenance procedure being followed by the operators.
Similarly sources said that soon after the chopper crash the then Deputy Chief minister Dr Nirmal Singh after holding a meeting with top officials in Reasi, said that magisterial probe has been ordered by the government into the accident.
The Reasi District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan was asked to head the probe.
The committee was asked to ascertain the reasons of the helicopter crash and to submit report. "The enquiry committee was asked to check the safety measures and short comings if any found in the operation of the chopper services in ferrying the pilgrims, so that the measures would be taken to ensure safety.
However sources said the committee so far has failed to submit report in this regard. "No major steps for the conduct of enquiry have been taken so far," one of the officials of the District administration of Reasi said.
The Deputy commissioner Reasi Sushma Chauhan when contacted said that the steps for conduct of the enquiry have already been initiated by her at the district level. "We are investigating the incident and I can say that the final report will take another 15 to 20 days.
However sources said that the matter of such a sensitive magnitude has not been taken seriously which involves the safety of the pilgrims.
The DC also claimed that the DGCA level enquiry is underway and they will submit their report within short period of time.
One of the tours and travel agent informed that the pilgrims from outside the state are more concerned about the finding of the magisterial probe so that everything will be clear about the chopper crash.
Sources said that these chopper service providers as per the norms have to undertake maintenance of the choppers at a regular interval.
But as per the sources they are not maintaining the same which is in violation of set norms.
The Vaishnodevi shrine is located at a height of 5,300 feet on the Trikuta Hills. Nearly one crore people visit the shrine every year, most of them trek the 13 km distance.
There are 100 two-way flights a day to Katra to a place near the shrine and about 1,000 people use the chopper service daily. Two planes of the Himalayan Heli service and choppers of Global Victra operate on this route. |
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