MANSI BHAMBRI/Dehradun
The Transport department has geared up and is in the final stages of preparations for the Char Dham Yatra 2026, said deputy transport commissioner Shailesh Tiwari. This year, the Char Dham Yatra will begin on April 19 with the opening of the portals for Gangotri and Yamunotri. The portals for Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22, followed by the opening for Badrinath on April 23.
Tiwari informed that the department is well-prepared for the Yatra, focusing on two main fronts: ensuring the availability of vehicles for pilgrims and enhancing safety measures. In terms of vehicle availability, about 50,000 taxis are available for the Yatra and 2,500 buses. However, it has been observed that the demand for buses increases significantly during the Yatra, sometimes affecting availability. To address this, the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation has been instructed to ensure the availability of the additional buses, and extra buses will also be requested from the Kumaon Motor Owners Union Limited as needed.
He further informed that regarding safety preparations, the department has recently launched the Green Card system, which involves issuing Green Cards to drivers of commercial vehicles. This card is only issued after a thorough physical inspection ensures that the vehicles are safe for travel on the challenging hilly routes. In addition to the Green Card, a Trip Card will be introduced, detailing the driver and passenger information for each commercial vehicle travelling to the various Dhams. It is expected that Trip Cards will be issued prior to the commencement of the Yatra.
Tiwari said that to further enhance safety along the Yatra routes, four main checkposts have been established. These include locations at Bhadrakali on the Gangotri route, Brahmapuri on the Kedarnath route and Kuthal Gate and Katapatthar on the Yamunotri route. Enforcement teams will be deployed at these checkposts to verify vehicle documents, check for overloading, ensure that drivers possess valid licenses and prevent private vehicles from operating commercially. Necessary actions, including fines, will be taken if any violations are found. Additionally, six enforcement squads have been deployed to the Yatra routes.
Tiwari also said that a shuttle service will be available from Sonprayag. It is important to mention that the Transport minister Pradeep Batra recently conducted a review meeting with officials from the Transport department in which he directed officials to ensure smooth services throughout the Char Dham Yatra.
