Rudraprayag: The Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra is set to begin with the opening of the doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams on April 19th. Kedarnath Dham will also open for pilgrims on April 22nd and Badrinath Dham on April 23rd. The BKTC and the administration are busy preparing for the Char Dham Yatra. In this context, booking for helicopter services is also set to begin soon, as the tender process for helicopter services has reached its final stage. In fact, the registration process for pilgrims for the Char Dham Yatra began on March 6th.
Every year, during the Char Dham Yatra, a large number of pilgrims travel to Baba Kedarnath Dham via helicopter services. This is why the Civil Aviation Department intensifies preparations before the Char Dham Yatra begins. However, a new tender process has been adopted for helicopter services this year, as the term of the tender process for the next three years, which was issued in 2023, expired in 2025. In light of this, tenders were opened for the upcoming Chardham Yatra. Consequently, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UKADA) tender process for helicopter shuttle services has reached its final stage. As in previous years, this year too, eight to nine helicopter companies will provide services for the convenience of pilgrims. The online booking system for helicopter services during the Yatra will be operated in collaboration with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), providing transparent and convenient booking facilities to pilgrims. In view of the Chardham Yatra, which begins on April 19th, helicopter ticket booking will be done online only through the official website, heliyatra.irctc.co.in / IRCTC. This will effectively curb fraudulent agents and black marketing, ensuring transparent and streamlined ticket availability for pilgrims.
During the Chardham Yatra 2026, a large number of pilgrims will visit Kedarnath, as well as Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Arrangements have been further improved to provide better access to helicopter services for elderly and disabled pilgrims arriving from other states. To prevent any incidents of fraud or black marketing, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UKADA) has established a control room to address complaints related to bookings during the pilgrimage.
UKADA CEO Dr. Ashish Chauhan stated that the tender process for helicopter shuttle services is in the final stages. Eight to nine companies will provide helicopter shuttle services during this year’s Chardham Yatra. Heli ticket bookings will be made through the official IRCTC portal. Passengers can book helicopter tickets online through the website heliyatra.irctc.co.in. He added that the UCADA control room will remain active to resolve any issues or complaints related to ticket booking. Additionally, passengers traveling by helicopter can also contact IRCTC customer care directly to lodge their complaints.
