ARUN KASHYAP | Haridwar
The flash flood at Dharali in Uttarkashi district on August 5 and other disasters in the State have caused a drop in the number of pilgrims visiting Haridwar. Those who visit the Char Dham tend to start their pilgrimage from Haridwar and the number of visitors, especially to Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarkashi, arriving in Haridwar has dropped since the Dharali disaster.
The video clips of the destruction caused by the flash flood which went viral on social media have had a considerable impact on the plans of travellers.
Locals in the tourism and travel industry in Haridwar state that the city is usually crowded by pilgrims and tourists from across the nation and abroad. However, the footfalls have dwindled after the recent disasters in the mountains. The hoteliers and other traders state that there has been a considerable drop in the number of visitors after the Dharali disaster.
According to official data, there has been a noticeable drop in Yatra registrations after August 5. According to Tourism department data there has been a drop of about 40 per cent in the registrations. The Panchpuri Tempo Traveller Union- Haridwar head Sunil Jaiswal said that business has been down this season and the Dharali disaster caused a further drop in tourist footfalls. “We are not earning enough to pay all our drivers. The pilgrims and other visitors coming to Haridwar are avoiding venturing into the mountains,” he said.
Those in the tourism and related businesses opine that major disasters have a lasting impact on travellers. They state that the government should take concrete measures to restore the confidence of travellers.
