PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
In a decision expected to give a major boost to adventure tourism and mountaineering activities, the Uttarakhand government has opened 83 mountain peaks in Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas for mountaineering expeditions. The decision was taken by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council (UTDB) in coordination with the Forest Department on the directive of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The peaks of the Higher Himalayas opened for mountaineering expeditions range altitudes from 5,700 meters to 7,756 meters above the mean sea level and include world-famous and highly challenging summits such as Kamet (7,756 mt), Nanda Devi East, the Chaukhamba group, Trishul group, Shivling, Satopanth, Changabang, Panchachuli and Neelkanth. These peaks are renowned not only for their technical difficulty for mountaineering and natural beauty but are also considered living symbols of the grandeur of the Himalayas.
The UTDB officials inform that for the 83 notified peaks, Indian mountaineers will not have to pay any expedition fees (such as peak fees, camping fees and environmental charges). Earlier, these charges were levied by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the Forest Department but now the State government will bear the cost. Similarly, the additional State level fees previously imposed on foreign mountaineers has also been completely abolished. Now, they will only need to pay the fees prescribed by the IMF.
All mountaineering expedition applications will now be submitted through the Uttarakhand Mountaineering Permission System (UKMPS) online portal. The department officials claim that the decision will increase tourism activities in border villages and local residents will get new employment opportunities as guides, porters, homestay operators, transport providers and other services. This initiative will also help curb migration and strengthen the rural economy.
The State government has clarified that strict adherence to safety standards and environmental regulations will be mandatory for all expeditions.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that opening 83 major peaks for mountaineering is a historic step toward giving global recognition to adventure tourism in the State. “The objective is to encourage the country’s youth to take up adventurous fields like mountaineering, generate employment for local communities and ensure balanced development along with environmental conservation. The State government is fully committed to safe, responsible, and sustainable mountaineering,’’ he said.
