Record 13 lakh bookings for Chardham Pilgrimage in eight days
The State Tourism Department called it a sign of record breaking flow of pilgrims to the four shrines as the pilgrimage season is scheduled to start on May 10.
The process of removing snow from the 16 km trek rout of Kedarnath in district Ruderprayag has started. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), involved in reconstruction work in the flash-flood hit valley, began the operation of clearing the route from 15 April and expects it to complete by the weekend.
Kedarnath will reopen after six month of winter break on May 3. The 16 Km trek starts from Gaurikund and heavy snow accumulation is blocking route at eight points.
NIM’s media coordinator Manoj Semwal, “We have deployed 70 working staff for removing snow from the trek. A total of about 700 Mts snow obstructed route need to be cleared. We will complete the work by weekend”
Advertisement
The 2013 disaster badly damaged the highway connecting Gaurikund. This year the pilgrims will find the 5km patch of Sonprayag-Gaurikund highway in good shape. But, even this time the visitors will to take shuttle service on jeeps to cover the 5 kms distance. Tourists will have to park their vehicles at Sonprayag and take the shuttle for the rest of 5 kms.
With about two weeks remaining for the opening of Kedarnath, the Ruderprayag district administration has speed up preparation work. This time local hoteliers are expecting a good tourist season.
Gaurikund resident Rakesh Goswami says, “Local hotel operates have started getting quires, we are optimizing that this season is going to be the best post 2013 disaster.”
Advertisement
