Char Dham yatra: Uttarakhand Govt issues new guidelines, to screen pilgrims aged above 50

Uttarakhand government on Sunday updated the Char Dham yatra guidelines and informed that people above the age of 50 planning to take the yatra, must undergo mandatory health screening. The decision was made considering the recent death of two pilgrims in Kedarnath, taking the toll past 100.

According to the state health department, 101 pilgrims have died during the course of the yatra, including 49 in Kedarnath Dham, 20 in Badrinath Dham, 7 in Gangotri Dham, and 25 in Yamunotri Dham. And on Sunday, one each died in Kedarnath and Badrinath. 

A look at the data of pilgrim deaths in previous years shows that over 90 Char Dham devotees died in 2019, 102 in 2018, and 112 in 2017 during the entire season which lasts nearly six months from April-May to October-November every year.

Char Dham Yatra guidelines

As the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand began on May 3, the state government has fixed the number of daily pilgrims allowed to visit the four shrines or Char Dham Yatra. 

The daily numbers for Kedarnath have been fixed at 12000, 15000 for Badrinath, 7000 for Gangotri, and 4000 for Yamunotri

COVID safety protocols including wearing masks and social distancing will be enforced but the COVID-19 test report is not mandatory. 

As of May 1, 2.86 lakh people had registered for the Yatra. In an attempt to avoid accidents, the Yatra route will also be closed from 10 pm to 4 am to the four shrines.  

The Char Dham Yatra was organised hassle-free in the year 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 38 lakh pilgrims visited the four shrines in 2019. 

In 2021, the pilgrimage witnessed a jump in comparison to 2020 as more than 5 lakh pilgrims visited the four shrines. In 2020, 3.22 lakh pilgrims visited the shrines. 

Char Dham yatra 2022

The stakeholders including temple trusts, hotels, chopper companies that provide rides, transportation vehicles- private and government-owned, owners of mules, and many others are expecting good business this year.

The yatra offers an economic ecosystem that benefits the shrines, as well as the areas around these shrines. More than 10000 people directly or indirectly make a living from this yatra. 

Last year, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a relief package of around Rs 200 Crore for over 1.63 lakh people in the state to compensate for economic damages due to the cancellation of the Char Dham Yatra, religious tourism, and other touristic activities in Uttarakhand for a second consecutive year. 

(Image: ANI)