By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun/Pithoragrah, 23 May: More than 60 cyclists from across the country have gathered in the first edition of the ‘Tour-de-Kailash Cycle Rally’ being organised in collaboration with the Uttarakhand Government and the local Pithoragarh district administration to mark the 75th Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav. During this event, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will flag off this cycle rally at Gunji Peak, located at about 10,500 feet above sea level adjacent to the Indo-China-Nepal border.
District Magistrate Ashish Kumar Chauhan disclosed that cyclists will add the sense of national pride by hoisting 75 tricolours at this border. Apart from different regions of Uttarakhand, cyclists from Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Chandigarh and Jammu will participate in the three-day event.
As part of the event, cyclists will ride up to 14,000 feet by covering a distance of about 40 kilometres every day.
District Magistrate Chauhan sent all the cyclists, today, to Gunji, situated at 10,500 feet above sea level. After two days of acclimatisation, on 25 May, CM Dhami will infuse the enthusiasm in the cyclists with his presence there. On the occasion, Dhami will flag off cyclists for Jolingkong located at 14,154 feet. Cyclists under this daring expedition will also show their courage by riding up to Nabhidhang, located 14,190 feet adjacent to the neighbouring borders of Nepal and China.
Event Director Yatinder Mamgain, while revealing more inputs of the event, said that apart from escalating the spirit of patriotism at the border, the district administration’s effort is to promote ‘Responsible Tourism’ in remote and inaccessible areas like Adi Kailash, Om Parvat, etc. He also emphasised that apart from promoting tourism through this event, the endeavour is to explore the possibilities in mountain biking in the hill state. He said that this event is a zero carbon footprint activity wherein cyclists will express their awareness towards the environment. His effort is to make this year’s non-competitive event into an ultra competitive one by making it international and bringing Pithoragarh and Uttarakhand on the world cycling map.
