The Uttarakhand government has issued guidelines for this year’s Char Dham Yatra which will begin with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples in Uttarkashi district on Tuesday.
Registration of all devotees on the state government’s portal before their arrival have been made mandatory. But mandatory Covid testing and checking of vaccination certificates for pilgrims are not required. Kedarnath temple in Rudraprayag district will open on May 6 and Badrinath shrine in Chamoli district will open on May 8.
A record number of pilgrims are expected to come this year for the yatra, which is taking place without the Covid-induced restrictions for the first time in two years.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Kedarnath to review the reconstruction projects and preparations underway in view of the Char Dham Yatra.
He did an on-the-spot inspection of the Saraswati Aastha Path, which has been completed and issued instructions for the early completion of the Mandakini Aastha Path. He also took information about the buildings being constructed near the temple in the traditional hill style.