Deccan Aviation to offer chopper services for Amarnath yatra

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) Deccan Aviation Limited (DAL), the country's largest private sector heli-charter company, has been awarded a three-year contract by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) for providing helicopter services for Amarnath Yatra.

The Amarnath Yatra is organised every year by the Jammu and Kashmir Government during the months of July and August. Helicopter services for this year's Yatra have begun, Deccan Aviation said in a statement here today.

Deccan Aviation helicopter service to the Holy Cave would be available from Srinagar and Baltal. The flying time from Srinagar to Baltal was around 45 minutes and from Baltal to the Holy Cave around eight to ten minutes.

Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder valley, Amarnath stood at 3,888 m and 141 km from Srinagar. The trekking route to Amarnath, though extremely beautiful and captivating, could be risky involving steep mountains, snow ridges and fast flowing streams. Helicopter services were an essential mode of transport in these conditions, the statement added.

Deccan Aviation Executive Chairman Capt G R Gopinath said ''we Indians are spiritual and religious people. Pilgrimages like the Amarnath Yatra are sacred and important once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the religious minded. For the majority of Indians, religion permeates every aspect of life, from common-place daily chores to education and lifestyle. We fulfill these dreams and aspirations with our helicopter services. Every year, there are more people travelling to temples and shrines for holy visits. More than 1.25 lakh devotees visited the Amarnath Shrine last year, which indicates the growing number of religious travellers in India.'' UNI