Char Dham Yatra: An important review meeting was held on Saturday at the Chardham Yatra Transit Camp under the chairmanship of Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey regarding the preparations for the Chardham Yatra.

The Uttarakhand government has taken a significant and visionary step to maintain the sanctity and dignity of the temples during the Chardham Yatra. In light of the growing controversy surrounding the creation of reels and vlogs at religious sites, this year it has been decided to ban mobile phones inside Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri shrines. The administration believes this decision will not only curb unnecessary controversy but also allow devotees to perform the pilgrimage with complete devotion and concentration.

An important review meeting regarding the preparations for the Chardham Yatra was held on Saturday at the Chardham Yatra Transit Camp, chaired by Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey. Garhwal Inspector General Rajiv Swaroop, along with district magistrates and departmental officials from various districts, were present at the meeting. Several important decisions were made regarding the travel arrangements.

Phones will also be banned in the Kedarnath campus.

Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey clarified that in the past few years, there have been numerous controversies surrounding the creation of mobile reels and vlogs, which compromise the dignity of the shrines. Keeping this in mind, mobile phones will be strictly prohibited beyond Singhdwar in Badrinath. Devotees will also be prohibited from carrying mobile phones into the Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri shrine complexes. The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) and the respective district administrations will make appropriate arrangements to ensure the safekeeping of devotees' mobile phones before they enter the shrines.

This decision by the administration sends the message that the government is not limited to just making arrangements, but is also concerned with the sanctity of places of worship and religious discipline. This initiative by Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey is considered balanced, taking into accounts both faith and order.

Funds will be released to all districts by February.

In the meeting, Commissioner Pandey stated that funds for the Chardham Yatra management would be released to all districts by February. He instructed the district magistrates to send a list of urgent works to the government within three days, complete the tender process within a week, and begin work on a fast-track basis.

15-day rotation duty of doctors to the Health Department

Strict instructions were also issued regarding road, communication, and health services. NHAI, NHIDCL, PWD, and BRO have been directed to repair the roads along the pilgrimage routes by March 31. BSNL has been instructed to ensure improved communication facilities along the pilgrimage routes and pilgrimage sites. The Health Department has been directed to arrange for 15-day rotations for doctors, deploy specialist physicians, and arrange for air ambulances.

The registration process will remain the same as before.

The registration system will remain the same as before, with 60% offline and 40% online. The number of registration counters will be increased if needed. A decision has also been made to implement a shuttle service with small buses to ease traffic jams and widen the highway near the Brahmapuri checkpoint.

More than 50 lakh passengers travelled in the last season

Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey recalled that a record 5.6 million pilgrims visited the Chardham in 2023, and last season, over 5 million pilgrims successfully completed the pilgrimage. He expressed confidence that this year, with the concerted efforts of the government and administration, the pilgrimage will become even more accessible, safe, and dignified. This decision clearly demonstrates that the government has taken timely, concrete steps to maintain the dignity of these places of faith.

PC:ABPNews