Garhwal Post Bureau
Rudraprayag, 10 May: The world-famous Kedarnath Yatra is currently witnessing an unprecedented influx of devotees. Lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad are arriving to have darshan of Baba Kedarnath, but the ever-growing crowds are now overwhelming the arrangements. Videos from the pilgrimage stop at Sonprayag are rapidly going viral on social media, showing thousands of devotees leaving for Kedarnath Dham simultaneously.
The viral video clearly shows a large number of pilgrims moving forward without any staggered arrangements. This crowd includes small children, elderly people, women, and sick pilgrims. The sudden surge of pilgrims has increased pressure on the Gaurikund route. The situation is becoming so severe that passengers are finding it difficult to access the shuttle vehicles operating to Gaurikund. Many pilgrims are facing hours of traffic jams and chaos.
Pilgrims say that, if the crowds are sent in batches in a controlled manner, chaos and jostling can be avoided. Elderly and female pilgrims, in particular, are facing significant difficulties due to long waits, crowds, and traffic jams. At many locations, pilgrims are forced to wait for hours on the roadside. Sonprayag Trade Union President Ankit Gairola also believes that crowd management on the pilgrimage route needs to be more effective. He says that the administration should manage the movement of pilgrims between Sonprayag, Sitapur, and Gaurikund in a controlled manner, so that no accidents or chaos occur.
In this regard, Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar said that a huge crowd of devotees is gathering at Kedarnath Dham. So far, more than 440,000 devotees have visited Baba Kedar. The number of pilgrims in the Sonprayag area is steadily increasing. The police and administration are making efforts to keep the pilgrims moving in an orderly manner. Continuous monitoring is being done to further improve the arrangements along the pilgrimage route.
During the peak of the Chardham Yatra, the administration’s biggest challenge now is crowd management and ensuring the safe movement of pilgrims. With the number of pilgrims expected to increase in the coming days, administrative preparations have begun to be put to the test.
