Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 9 Apr: The much-awaited Char Dham Yatra is set to begin on 19 April on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. The state government has completed all preparations for the yatra. During a meeting held on Thursday regarding the preparations, the state’s Tourism, Religious Affairs, and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj, while participating virtually, issued clear instructions to officials. He emphasised that, as soon as the yatra begins, people often face difficulties in heli services, and special care must be taken to prevent black marketing of heli tickets.
During the meeting, Satpal Maharaj also directed that proper cleanliness arrangements must be ensured in both permanent and temporary toilets along the yatra routes. Petrol pumps and hotels on the route should provide free toilet and drinking water facilities for pilgrims, along with air facilities for vehicles.
He noted that anti-social elements sometimes attempt to create disturbances during the yatra, and the administration must act strictly in such cases. He also stressed that mandatory health screening of pilgrims should be conducted.
The Minister further instructed that adequate arrangements for food and warm water for horses and mules should be ensured, along with sufficient availability of veterinary doctors. He suggested using motorcycles instead of jeeps for police patrolling to avoid traffic congestion.
For crowd management, CCTV cameras and control rooms should be set up at major locations. Disaster management teams must be deployed at sensitive and landslide-prone areas. A special campaign should be carried out for waste management along the routes to ensure environmental protection.
He also directed that a real-time update system or helpline number should be issued to provide information related to the yatra, such as routes, weather, and crowd conditions. Special assistance services, including wheelchairs and help desks, should be made available for elderly and differently-abled pilgrims.
Finally, he urged hotel and transport associations to uphold the spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhava” and offer possible concessions to pilgrims.
