With the number of visitors to Uttarakhand for pilgrimage tourism unexpectedly high this year, the state govt has constituted a panel headed by additional chief secretary (ACS) Anand Bardhan to prepare a draft report on management of not only Char Dham but “all major religious events in the Himalayan state”. Last year, the number of pilgrims was 7 crore and this year, it’s expected to be close to 10 crore.
CM: Need for panel felt for yatra, other religious events
The panel would be a permanent body that would look into management, infrastructure, creative planning, security arrangements, crowd management and development work related to these religious events. It has already met thrice and the next meeting is slated in a few days’ time. The draft report will then be handed over to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Bardhan told TOI: “The authority would comprise officials and public representatives. The earlier Char Dham Devasthanam Board was for Char Dham yatra only but this authority would be responsible for prominent yatras and melas like Kanwar yatra and Purnagiri Mela as well.” He added that the authority would “provide long-term solutions which would help control numbers and streamline facilities.”
In a move to facilitate easier access for pilgrims, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, under the direction of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has lifted the previously fixed quota on the number of pilgrims allowed at the four Dhams. Pilgrims can now register for their visits at registration counters in Rishikesh and Haridwar, enhancing convenience and accessibility.
Dhami had earlier said that the need for the panel was felt for not only Char Dham but other religious events as well. The move comes after an aborted attempt by the Trivendra Singh Rawat govt a few years ago to set up the Char Dham Devasthanam Board for administration of the four Himalayan shrines following protests by ‘teerth purohits’ (priests).Till June 19, 24.6 lakh pilgrims had offered prayers in the Char Dham shrines and 91,610 more went to the Hemkund Sahib gurdwara in the Garhwal Himalayas. During the kanwar yatra scheduled for next month, authorities xpect the arrival of close to 5 crore pilgrims.
With the Manaskhand Mala Mission corridor project, a pet initiative of PM Modi and CM Dhami, that aims to connect prominent religious locations in Kumaon, being in the offing too, both regular tourism and religious tourism are expected to witness a major rise in Kumaon region.
