Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while reviewing arrangements for the Char Dham Yatra, instructed officials that the core principle of pilgrimage management should be “Safe Travel, Smooth Darshan, and Continuous Communication.”
At a high-level meeting in the Secretariat, the Chief Minister emphasized that improved coordination, effective communication, and scientific management should be used to make the pilgrimage safer and more organized.
He directed officials to prepare detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on the number of pilgrims visiting each shrine. He also instructed strict enforcement of restrictions on vehicle movement along Char Dham routes between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM. Trucks and other heavy vehicles will be permitted to operate only during nighttime hours.
The Chief Minister further directed that whenever crowds exceed carrying capacity at any shrine or transit point, pilgrims should be regulated through holding areas and checkpoints. Adequate facilities such as food, drinking water, parking, toilets, and other essential services must be provided wherever pilgrims are temporarily halted.
To ensure that pilgrims remain informed, he instructed officials to provide regular updates through LED displays, social media platforms, WhatsApp channels, FM radio, and public information systems. Information regarding weather conditions, road blockages, traffic congestion, and delays in darshan should be communicated in a timely manner.
Dhami stated that while the first phase of the pilgrimage has been completed successfully, challenges are expected to increase with the arrival of the monsoon season. Therefore, disaster management agencies, police, and administrative departments must remain on heightened alert. He also directed the advance deployment of JCBs, excavators, satellite phones, ambulances, and rescue equipment at sensitive locations.
The Chief Minister instructed authorities to ensure that hotels, restaurants, and roadside eateries along the pilgrimage routes prominently display price lists and undergo regular food quality inspections. He also stressed strengthening shelters, sanitation facilities, and cleanliness arrangements along the Kedarnath trekking route.
Additionally, he directed the Garhwal Commissioner, IG Garhwal, District Magistrates, and Superintendents of Police to conduct regular reviews and further improve pilgrimage management. He also called for the appointment of a state-level nodal officer to coordinate helicopter ambulance services for critically ill pilgrims.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the safety and convenience of pilgrims remain the government’s highest priority and that every effort will be made to make the Char Dham Yatra safe, well-organized, and memorable.
