Char Dham Yatra sets record with 47 lakh pilgrims in 114 days this year
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 11 Aug: Despite the challenges posed by the monsoon, the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand is moving towards setting a new record, with the number of pilgrims crossing 47 lakhs in just 114 days of the Yatra this year, so far. This figure is 4.68 lakhs higher than the corresponding period last year, reflecting the unwavering faith of devotees. The government has claimed that it has prioritised the safety of pilgrims, regulating and halting the yatra whenever required and has also ensured that the arrangements remain smooth and secure.
According to the officials, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed that safety must remain the foremost priority. The disaster management teams have been kept on round-the-clock alert. Sensitive areas prone to landslides have been provided with security personnel to assist the pilgrims, according to the while facilities for the accommodation, food and other essentials have been arranged at all the four major shrines and the halting points along the routes.
The officials remind that the CM is monitoring disaster management through the State Control Room to ensure timely response to any emergency. It may be recalled that the Yatra had begun on 19 April this year with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri. By 10 August, a total of 47,02,703 devotees had visited the Char Dham shrines, compared to 42,34,147 during the same period in 2025. The breakdown shows 16,12,112 pilgrims at Badrinath, 14,50,116 at Kedarnath, 7,37,629 at Gangotri and 6,62,347 at Yamunotri, while Hemkund Sahib has witnessed 2,40,499 devotees.
Yesterday alone, 15,376 pilgrims undertook the yatra, with the highest number of 9,559 reaching Badrinath, followed by 4,170 at Kedarnath, 1,204 at Gangotri and 443 at Yamunotri. The enthusiasm for darshan at Badrinath remains particularly strong, with 16.12 lakh devotees visiting since 23 April, which is 3.50 lakh more than last year when the figure stood at 12.61 lakh in the same duration.
CM Dhami observed today that the safety of Char Dham pilgrims is the highest priority of the government during the Yatra. He added that considering the active monsoon, the disaster management department has been kept on alert round the clock. District Magistrates have also been instructed to remain vigilant so that relief and rescue operations can begin immediately in case of any emergency. Pilgrims are being advised to travel keeping in mind the weather conditions.
