Kedarnath Yatra: IRCTC begins booking for helicopter services

IRCTC Heliyatra has started taking bookings for the helicopter rides to Kedarnath. The portal for the bookings has opened from 12 noon today.

The pilgrims can book helicopter rides between 28 May 2023 and 15 June 2023. Furthermore, the slots for helicopter rides have been increased by the organisation.

Kedarnath Dham is one of the most significant pilgrimage sites for Hindus. During the pilgrims' seasonal visits, the shrine experiences a significant number of visitors.

This does not alter the fact that the shrine is situated in mountainous terrain in Uttarakhand at a height of 12,000 feet. Helicopters are the most secure means of traversing difficult terrain.

Since no road leads to the temple, visitors must hike 18 kilometres uphill from Sonprayag to get there.

Few people are able to visit the temple because of the distance and elevation required to get there.

The Uttarakhand government consequently started offering helicopter services to the temple.

Helicopter flights are regularly accessible at Kedarnath. So many aviation companies, including Pawan Hans, Aryan Aviation, Pinnacle Air, and Heritage Aviation, provide services in the region on a per-seat basis. 

The majority of companies use 5-7 seater helicopters that can be rented. They are reachable for both one-way and round-trip services close to the shrine.

To make a booking, you must first register for Kedarnath Yatra. After this, apply on the IRCTC website www.heliyatra.irctc.co.in. Following this, the person has to create a login ID.

Once logged in, the user can begin the process of selecting the heli operator company, the passenger has to fill in the date of travel and slot time.

Along with this, the number and information of passengers traveling will have to be given.

Helicopter companies charge between Rs. 6500 and Rs. 8000 per person for round-trip transportation to and from Kedarnath Dham on the same day. 

The cost of a single side ticket ranges from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 3500. (Note: The prices can be different depending on various factors).