Pilgrimage season in Uttarakhand picks up pace as lakhs prepare for Char Dham Yatra, with revised rules, improved safety systems and multiple travel options shaping this year’s journey.
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan said that QR codes providing information on pilgrims' routines will be displayed at various locations during the yatra season.
The annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath will commence on April 22 this year, while the sacred Char Dham Yatra will begin on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya, which falls on April 19. The portals of the Badrinath shrine will open on April 23.
The decision to ban camera and mobile phones was taken in a meeting held to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming chardham pilgrimage under the leadership of Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.
The portals of the Badrinath Shrine were closed for the winter season on Tuesday as per traditional rituals and the chanting of Vedic Mantras in the presence of a huge crowd of devotees
This seat from district Rudraprayag recently fell vacant due to the sudden demise of the incumbent, MLA Shaila Rani Rawat, on 9 July.
Harish Rawat said the BJP was afraid of its imminent defeat in the Kedarnath assembly by-election for which polling will be held on November 20.
Uttarakhand government will reconstruct five kilometres new track from Rambada to Garunchatti enroute Kedarnath pilgrimage devasted in 2013 rain disaster.
Geologists, glacier experts and locals allege unchecked removal of moraines will increase breaking and melting of the glacier with higher frequencies of avalanches in future.
Decision was taken as air service was lone option left for the Kedarnath pilgrims after the pedestrian route was badly damaged due to heavy rains in the past few days.
