Pilgrim Footfall Declines As Rains, Landslides Disrupt Char Dham Yatra

Dehradun: Continuous rainfall and frequent landslides have disrupted the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, reducing daily pilgrim numbers even as over 45 lakh devotees have made it to the shrines despite challenges posed by inclement weather.

As per the official figures, a total of 4,523,412 pilgrims have visited the Uttarakhand Char Dham shrines by July 25. In the past 24 hours, only 8,126 pilgrims visited the shrines. Among them, 2,778 went to Badrinath, 2,475 visited Gangotri, 942 travelled to Kedarnath, and 895 to Yamunotri.

"While the number of pilgrims has naturally declined due to the monsoon, the devotees' faith in 'Baba Kedar' remains unwavering. We expect a large number of pilgrims to return to the shrines once the weather improves. Arrangements for darshan, prayers, and other services at the shrines are functioning smoothly, and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure pilgrims face no inconvenience," said Vineet Posti, Member Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC).

Badrinath Dham Receives Highest Number Of Devotees

Since the beginning of the pilgrimage, Badrinath has had the highest number of visitors, totalling 1,553,525. Kedarnath Dham follows with 1,414,590 pilgrims. As many as 709,418 pilgrims have visited Gangotri Dham, and 649,957 have visited Yamunotri Dham. Police and local authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the Char Dham pilgrimage is not disrupted by the monsoon. Teams from relevant departments and the SDRF are already stationed in areas prone to landslides.

“All departments are on alert mode. If a route gets blocked, it is promptly reopened. More than 50 vehicles have been deployed along the pilgrimage routes to clear debris. We also urge pilgrims to exercise caution while traversing pedestrian routes, such as those to Kedarnath or Yamunotri," said Vinod Suman, Secretary, Disaster Management.

Travel Advisory

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the mountainous districts of Uttarakhand in the coming days. In response to this, the administration has urged pilgrims to check weather updates before setting out for the pilgrimage. Teams from the police, SDRF, NDRF, and district administration are monitoring vulnerable areas round the clock.

“The pilgrimage will not be conducted at the cost of the safety of devotees. We are ensuring that large numbers of people do not travel in the mountains during the rains. Pilgrims can visit Badrinath smoothly without any issues; however, our personnel are advising everyone to remain cautious during the rainfall,” said Chamoli SP Surjeet Singh Panwar.

Number of pilgrims between July 1 and July 24

• Yamunotri Dham: 23,144
• Gangotri Dham: 36,737
• Kedarnath Dham: 46,420
• Badrinath Dham: 142,941
• Hemkund Sahib: 50,523

210 Pilgrim Deaths Reported During the Yatra

So far, 210 deaths have been recorded among pilgrims during the Char Dham Yatra. Of these, 207 died from health-related issues, while three died in accidents. A breakdown by shrines shows 99 deaths occurred at Kedarnath, 67 at Badrinath, 26 at Yamunotri, and 18 at Gangotri.

Also Read

1. Char Dham Yatra Resumes After A Day's Pause Due To Bad Weather
2. Char Dham Yatra Temporarily Suspended As Heavy Rain, Landslides Lash Uttarakhand