PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The first month of the Char Dham Yatra 2026 has seen a 3.7 per cent decline in pilgrim footfall compared to last year, according to a comparative analysis released by the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation.
According to the analysis, a total of 1,643,182 pilgrims visited Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri between April 19 and May 18. This represents a decrease of 63,829 pilgrims compared to the 1,707,011 who visited the Char Dham during the corresponding period in 2025.
Among the Char Dham, Kedarnath experienced an increase in pilgrim arrivals with 6,65,140 pilgrims in the first month of 2026, compared to 6,49,161 during the same period last year. This accounted for 40.5 per cent of the total Char Dham footfall this year, up from 38 per cent in 2025.
In contrast, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri reported lower pilgrimage numbers compared to last year. Badrinath was visited by 4,28,973 pilgrims this year, down from 4,57,409 in 2025, while both Gangotri and Yamunotri also experienced moderate decline.
The report further noted that approximately 55,000 pilgrims are currently visiting the Char Dham shrines daily. If this trend continues over the next five to six weeks, and there are no major disruptions due to the energy crisis, extreme monsoon events, or disasters, the total pilgrim footfall could reach between 35 lakh to 40 lakh by the end of June. In 2025, a total of 3,721,169 pilgrims visited Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Hemkund Sahib by June 30.
As per the morning report from the State Emergency Operation Centre dated May 18, there have been 55 recorded pilgrim deaths during the ongoing Yatra, including 30 in Kedarnath, 10 in Badrinath, eight in Yamunotri and seven in Gangotri. The report also notes that 1,47,453 vehicles have arrived at the Char Dham shrines during the first month of the Yatra.
Founder of the SDC Foundation Anoop Nautiyal stated, “The Char Dham Yatra is one of the most significant spiritual journeys in the country. While the number of pilgrims is crucial for the local economy and administration, there is a greater need to focus on the principles of carrying capacity in this ecologically sensitive Himalayan region. The increasing concentration of pilgrims at Kedarnath and the large daily influx highlight the need for long-term planning, crowd management, transportation systems and safety preparedness during the Yatra season,” he said.
