Having learnt a lesson or two from last year’s Uttarakhand tragedy, the disaster management department has roped in multiple government agencies this year in order to compile the complete data of pilgrims from the State embarking on the “Char Dham Yatra”.
Districts Collectors have been instructed to ensure registration of names and addresses of the pilgrims by the Village Revenue Officer concerned at the village level. The Commissioner of Tourism Department was requested to convene a meeting with travel agencies and ensure that they maintain a database of the pilgrims.
The Transport Department was also asked to note down details of all the vehicles heading in the route of the yatra, while the I&PR Department was requested to telecast scrolls of do’s and don’ts for the pilgrims.
The department also released a list of precautions and safety measures for the pilgrims during the journey which include carrying first-aid box, travelling in only registered vehicles, wearing warm clothes and avoiding consuming alcohol or heavy food.
A meeting in this regard was convened recently with the high-level officers of these departments before deciding on the strategy to be adopted to ensure pilgrims are safe for the yatra.
Rise in number of pilgrimsMeanwhile, the number of pilgrims leaving for Uttarakhand has been steadily growing. About 50 pilgrims, mostly from city, have already started their holy journey by availing various packages of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) of the Uttarakhand Tourism Department. Private travel agents are also providing attractive packages for the interested pilgrims.
“Last year, we visited only Yamunotri and Gangotri after which we had to return because of the tragedy. This time we are visiting Kedarnath and Bhadrinath to complete the yatra. We are planning to travel to Kedarnath by helicopter since the land route has been affected by the floods. The number of pilgrims is fewer this year when compared to last year,” said Joydeep Ray, a trader from Kukatpally, presently in Hrishikesh.
