The Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board has issued fresh directions, allowing an increase in the number of pilgrims who could visit Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri daily now. Earlier a smaller number of people was permitted to visit the ‘Char Dham’ daily, but their huge response has inspired the Board to raise its daily cap on their numbers.
It is mandatory for every tourist to register and obtain e-pass from the Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board (UCDDMB). Till recently only 1,200 devotees were provided daily e-passes for Badrinath, while 800 others were allowed to visit Kedarnath, 600 other to Gangotri and 400 other to Yamunotri.
The UCDDMB issued a new guideline on Sunday and under it now 3,000 pilgrims can visit Badrinath and 3,000 others Kedarnath daily. Nine hundred pilgrims can tour Gangotri and 700 others can visit Yamunotri.
The move of the Uttarakhand government to relax norms for tourists has provided a major relief to the tourism industry in the hill state. Previously it was mandatory for a visitor to produce a Covid-19 negative report to enter Uttarakhand. Now this norm does not exist and tourists are required to register on the UCDDMB web portal. Ravinath Raman, CEO of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board, said, “Now big number of tourists can tour the Char Dham.”