PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) approved a budget of Rs 127.09 crore for the financial year 2025–26 during its board meeting held at the committee’s Canal Road office in Dehradun on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by BKTC president Hemant Dwiwedi and began with prayers offered to Lord Badrinath and Kedarnath. BKTC chief executive officer Vijay Prasad Thapliyal welcomed all officials and members in the first meeting of the reconstituted committee.
Finance officer Manish Kumar Upreti presented the annual budget which was then discussed and approved by the board. The board allocated the budget Rs 64.22 crore under the proposed revenue head for Badrinath Dham and Rs 62.87 crore for Kedarnath Dham. Against this revenue, projected expenditure stands at Rs 56.86 crore for Badrinath and Rs 40.93 crore for Kedarnath. It was reported in the meeting that as of July 8, 2025, a total of 24,78,963 pilgrims have visited the shrines. Of these, 11,37,628 visited Badrinath Dham and 13,41,335 visited Kedarnath Dham. The total number of registrations so far includes 14,32,983 for Badrinath and 15,49,930 for Kedarnath. They said that the Yatra is continuing during the monsoon season without disruption.
The board members also observed a two-minute silence in memory of temple committee staff member Vikram Rawat, who died in the recent Kedarnath helicopter accident and other pilgrims who lost their lives during the pilgrimage.
