Uttarakhand government has decided to ration daily pilgrims flow in the Chardham shrines Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.

The decision has been taken in view of massive online bookings for pilgrimage starting from May 10, 2024. However Chardham hotel association has opposed the government’s decision alleging it will hamper their business.

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The Uttarakhand tourism department has fixed the entry of the pilgrims in all four shrines in view of massive registrations being done by the pilgrims planning to come for the pilgrimage. So far nearly 16 lakh pilgrims willing to come to the chardham shrines have registered themselves online with the state tourism department. Seeing at the pilgrims’ rush and carrying capacity of the shrine area, the state tourism department has decided to fix the entry of the pilgrims per day. Demand for char dham pilgrimage registration is so huge that all slots have been packed up to May 31, claimed the state tourism department.

According to the decision taken by the state government, daily registration for Yamunotri has been fixed to 9,000, Gangotri 11,000, Kedarnath 18,000 and 20,000 pilgrims have been fixed to Badrinath shrine. It’s significant that similar rationing of the pilgrims was done by the state tourism department in 2023 as well but it was withdrawn later following opposition by the priests and hotel associations. In 2023 daily flow of the pilgrims was fixed to 6,000 for Yamunotri, 8,000 for Gangotri, 12,000 for Kedarnath and 15,000 for Badrinath shrines. Hotels located on the way to the four shrines had opposed the government’s decision claiming that it was detrimental to their business.

This year too the Uttarkashi and Chardham Hotel association has opposed the decision and threatened to call bandh on the first day of pilgrimage. Uttarkashi and Chardham Hotel Association office bearers alleged that the state government took the decision without consultation with them. They have said that the government’s decision to limit pilgrims’ registrations will not be tolerated. They have said the government had to withdraw its similar decision in 2023 and will have to follow the same this year as well. Association has threatened that if the state government fails to withdraw its decision, they will shut down all hotels and the homestays on the day chardham pilgrimage 2024 takes off.

Association president Ajay Puri claimed that the majority of the homestays and hotel owners have taken bank loans to run their business. Puri said the government’s decision will impact their incomes as Chardham pilgrimage offers the best business opportunity in May and June.