The arduous char dham yatra can now be undertaken via air, with a number of charter services offering helicopter rides to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath
The arduous char dham yatra can now be undertaken via air, with a number of charter services offering helicopter rides to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath
There is good news in store for ardent pilgrims who have hitherto hesitated from undertaking the arduous the treks involved in the char dham yatra. A number of charter companies have introduced chopper services that will fly pilgrims into the lap of majestic Himalayas, enabling them to complete the char dham yatra in a completely stress-free manner. 
Easy way out: Choppers of private companies charge anywhere
between Rs 4 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh for the entire group for the char dham
yatra. Representation pic
The char dham yatra involves gruelling treks on steep and uneven terrain, and usually takes 12 to 14 days by road. The duration is further lengthened during inclement weather conditions or owing to natural calamities like landslides. This lengthy ordeal can now be curtailed to a mere two days.
"We are getting a great response from pilgrims. Due to precipitous curves and frequent landslides on this stretch, pilgrims face great difficulty in reaching the most revered pilgrimage sites. Many a time they find it difficult to even complete their yatra owing to these obstacles. But due to the introduction of these chopper services, this yatra can be safely conducted in two days. The choppers fly to a maximum height of 1,200 square feet," said Rohit Mathur, CEO of Heritage aviation, a charter company which is offering these services.
"Along with the pilot and co-pilot, we accommodate four to five people on board the aircraft. We charge anything from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh for the entire group for the char dham yatra. The comparative rates by road come to the same amount. In fact, pilgrims often have to extend their stay in hotels due to adverse weather, which ends up adding to their expenses. These factors make the chopper route a safer, and the most cost effective option," added Mathur.
Most of the charter companies operating on this sector use single engine models like Bell 407 and Eurocopter 350 B3, which are best suited for high-altitude flying. The helicopter services can be accessed from Dehradun and Guptkashi.
Expertspeak
Colonel Pradeep Srivastava (Retd), a chopper pilot for Trans Bharat Aviation Company said, "I have been flying on this sector for the last three to four years. Though there is a crisis of choppers in this sector, aviation is growing at the rate of twelve to thirteen per cent every year. Most of the takers are in the 50 plus age group, and the journey by road becomes too arduous for them."
The Four abodes
Char dham is the phrase used to refer to the most widely revered four pilgrimage spots in India. Situated in the state of Uttarakhand, these are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, and can easily be regarded as the epicentre of religious activity in North India. Traditionally, the char dham yatra is taken from the west to the east, starting from Yamunotri, proceeding to Gangotri, and finally reaching Kedarnath, the penultimate stop being Badrinath.
Flights of piety
The renowned Vaishno Devi yatra can also be undertaken by air, the charges for helicopter services on this route being Rs 2,800 per person.
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