Every year, the Chardham Yatra begins on Akshaya Tritiya, an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar. This year, Akshaya Tritiya falls on April 22 and the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will be thrown open on that day to coincide with it. This tradition is being followed through centuries in the idyllic locales of Garhwal hills where the Chardham shrines comprising Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are perched. Kedarnath and Badrinath, the other two shrines, will be opened on April 25 and April 27, respectively.
Multiple challenges
The Uttarakhand government is facing multiple challenges in the smooth conduct of the Chardham Yatra, which is considered the backbone of the Garhwal region’s economy. While Uttarakhand is expecting a massive inflow of pilgrims this season, the government has not done much to prepare itself to meet the challenges, experts claim.
With the fresh spike in Covid cases in April, the government is seemingly under pressure to put restrictions on the Chardham Yatra to avoid the spread of coronavirus. On one hand, the government is duty-bound to prevent the further spread of Covid in the state as well as in the country, on the other hand, any sluggishness on its part may prove detrimental. “We are closely monitoring the situation. But as far as Covid is concerned, the situation is not alarming. But we are alert,” said R Rajesh Kumar, state Health Secretary.
Traffic management and parking are other grey areas for the state police. This is because last year’s experiences were very bad as the tourist footfall in the Chardham areas was huge after a Covid logjam of two years in 2020 and 2021. Long serpentine queues were witnessed in Kedarnath and other shrines in the first month of the yatra last year because there were hardly any restrictions. “We are ready to meet the challenge of traffic arrangements. During heavy rush, traffic problems usually occur,” said Ashok Kumar, state Director General of Police.
No restrictions
Nevertheless, the government is also not in the mood to regulate the Chardham Yatra and thus annoy the local people, who are up in arms seeking a zero-restriction in the yatra this season. There had been some protests in Uttarkashi town in this regard. Recently, local traders like hoteliers and dhaba owners took to the streets in Uttarkashi where they burnt effigies of the state government protesting against an alleged move to regulate the yatra. Since then, the government has taken no stand on this issue. The state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj had earlier said the government would bring a token system for the Chardham Yatra anticipating a huge rush of pilgrims. However, local traders believe such steps may prove counterproductive and reduce footfall drastically. The traders say they earn money only through a six-month-long yatra period and remain virtually jobless during the winter.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has made it clear that all those pilgrims who have not registered themselves with the government portals would not be stopped from entering the Chardham shrines. Confirming this, Ajendra Ajay, chairman of the government-controlled Shree Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, also said the doors of the shrine would remain open for all the pilgrims making it clear that there will be no regulation this time.
Expert take
Watching the developments closely, Anoop Nautiyal, a prominent social activist, has asked the government to take a balanced approach on any decision concerning the yatra. “The focus should be on quality and not quantity,” Nautiyal said. Though the pilgrim footfall touched nearly 50 lakh in 2022, the government is expecting more this time.
With the government doing away with the mandatory health tests, pilgrims, who may not be fully fit, also visit these shrines by not revealing their health issues, police sources said. Last year, 23 people died in the first 10 days of the yatra. Though the government is claiming that it has installed nearly 50 health ATMs, which are a sort of healthcare kiosks with diagnostic equipment, in the Chardham Yatra route, it is yet to be seen how effective the health system is.
Joshimath agitation
The Joshimath issue, which saw land subsidence and subsequent demolition of some houses, has not died down and flared up in the yatra season. Local people in Joshimath, which falls on the Badrinath yatra route, have threatened to block traffic on the route seeking an early settlement of compensation and other issues. Atul Sati, who is spearheading the Joshimath agitation, has asked the government to declare the whole of Joshimath as a “disaster area”.
Air safety issues
After a helicopter crashed last year in the Kedarnath area that killed seven people, the air safety of pilgrims is also a big concern. The government has claimed that it is installing CCTV cameras in various helipads for keeping a close watch on heli-services. Meanwhile, state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has said that the pilgrims can book helicopter tickets through the IRCTC website to avoid duping.
Experts say when the monsoon rains begin landslides create havoc on the yatra routes, especially on the Badrinath circuit. The all-weather Chardham highway project has not addressed the landslide issue completely. Repeated heavy spells of snowfalls have also disrupted the preparation works for the yatra, especially in the Kedarnath area. “We are confident that the snow will be cleared by the time Chardham Yatra starts,” said Satpal Maharaj.
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