Chopper service to Amarnath may not take off

JAMMU, JUNE 29: The Pawan Hans helicopter service to the holy cave of Amarnath during the month-long pilgrimage beginning July 16 may run ...

JAMMU, JUNE 29: The Pawan Hans helicopter service to the holy cave of Amarnath during the month-long pilgrimage beginning July 16 may run into bad weather. Sources said the government has refused to give permission, saying it was impossible to provide the copters foolproof security from militants armed with sophisticated weapons at the higher reaches enroute.

Sources said providing security to lakhs of pilgrims was possible, but not to copters that can be easily targeted from afar. There are apprehensions that militants will target the copters to disrupt the yatra and create panic among the pilgrims.

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“Militants have been issuing threats of disrupting the yatra each year but the security officials have been able to foil their designs. But once the copters start flying sorties daily, it will be an uphill task to provide them security,” sources said.

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At a press conference here on the re-introduction of the helicopter service to Vaishno Devi on April 10, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta, had assured that Pawan Hans would extend its services to the Amarnath shrine.

But sources close to Gupta and Pawan Hans now admit that security clearance for the service was yet to be obtained and that high-level talks were going on. If clearance is given, Pawan Hans is prepared to run the service, especially after its successful run to the Vaishno Devi shrine.

Pawan Hans officials said their copter service to Vaishno Devi had proved a boon for the aged and the infirm, besides those with a tight schedule. Since the decision to introduce the copter service to Amarnath has been been taken by the Civil Aviation Ministry, with Prof Gupta taking personal interest, there seems good chances of getting clearance from the Defence Ministry as it is a matter of proving security for just a month.

“If helicopters carrying VVIPs can fly during every yatra, there should be no hitch in giving clearance to a copter service for the pilgrims,” sources said.

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Meanwhile, the number of pilgrims flocking to the cave shrine, which is situated at 14,500 feet above sea level, is set to touch a new high this year. Around 1.40 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine last year despite the Kargil conflict. Registration of pilgrims has begun while on-the-spot registration is scheduled to begin on July 11.