Char Dham pilgrim numbers cross 13 lakh, State asks VIPs to avoid visits till June 10
Friday, 31 May 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The number of people undertaking the Char Dham Yatra has continued to rise steadily with more than 13 lakh pilgrims having visited the Char Dham temples so far. According to information provided by the State government, 13,84,588 people have visited the Char Dham since the reopening of Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri on May 10 and Badrinath on May 12. Meanwhile, the State government has requested all the States to avoid visits of VIPs to the Char Dham till June 10.
According to official data, the maximum number of pilgrims have visited Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district. The temple was visited by 18,760 people on Thursday while a total of 5,70,465 have visited it so far. In the Chamoli district, 20,775 people visited the Badrinath temple on Thursday while a total of 3,20,773 have visited the temple so far. Similarly, in the Uttarkashi district 10,782 pilgrims visited Yamunotri temple and 10,641 visited Gangotri temple on Thursday. A total of 2,50,726 people have visited Yamunotri temple and a total of 2,42,624 have visited Gangotri temple so far.
Meanwhile, the State government has written to all States seeking to avoid visits by VIPs to the Char Dham. In a letter written to the chief secretaries of all States and Union Territories, chief secretary Radha Raturi has extended her gratitude for the cooperation in disseminating information about the mandatory registration for visiting the holy Char Dham in the State. “I would further request that dignitaries and State officials may be requested to avoid the Dhams till June 10, 2024 for the sake of convenience,” she stated in the letter. It is pertinent to mention here that on the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami the State government had earlier imposed a restriction on the visit of VIPs to the Char Dham during the first fortnight of the Yatra.
Considering the continued rush of pilgrims to the Char Dham, this stay was extended till May 31. With the pilgrims continuing to throng the Char Dham, the State has extended the stay, requesting the other States to cooperate. The initial days of the Yatra witnessed considerable rush of pilgrims which broke all past records. This also resulted in traffic congestion and other inconvenience to the pilgrims. The State government made registration of pilgrims mandatory as one of the means to better regulate the pilgrimage. The flow of pilgrims has remained steady though the situation has improved compared to the initial days of the pilgrimage.
