Lack of coordination between the government and tour operators in organising the Char Dham yatra has left pilgrims and their relatives back home fuming.
More than 3,000 pilgrims on an average book tickets through private operators two months before the commencement of the yatra in April.
But, most of them have been facing untold miseries in Haridwar, as they have been stranded in the hilly terrain .
“It’s becoming difficult to maintain contact with our family and officials in case of emergency, as mobile phone network has been affected,” complained K. Praveen Kumar, a pilgrim who is on his way home from the yatra.
After the torrential floods in 2013 in Uttarakhand that left 87 people from the united A.P. missing,
State Disaster Management Department officials have been insisting that the district authorities should collect data of pilgrims .
A detailed checklist on the tour was also sent to Collectorates, but apparently officials ignored it for reasons best known to them.
Action plan
According to travel agents, the government should hold a meeting with tour operators two months before the commencement of bookings to prepare an action plan on how to take up relief and rescue operations in case of any emergency,
The ideal time to commence the pilgrimage can also be worked out ensure devotees’ safety, they said.
No coordination
“There is no coordination between travel agencies and the government, and it has to be addressed,” a tour operator said on condition of anonymity.
Rao’s Travels director P. Sudhkar Rao said the bookings had registered a dip this time owing to the massive earthquake in Nepal. Operators usually charge around Rs. 20,000 for food, accommodation and transport facilities from New Delhi from each person for the 12-day yatra, according to him.
Officer-on-Special Duty (Andhra Pradesh Bhavan) and Lt. Col. Maddineni Ashok Babu, who is supervising rescue operations from Hardwar, said a centre providing accommodation and food to the devotees could be developed on the three acres owned by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) office in Rishikesh.
The administration should also ensure that pilgrims register their names at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams office at Rishikesh before going on the yatra, the OSD added.
It’s difficult to maintain contact with our family members back home and officials in case of emergency, as mobile phone network has been affected. Another lurking danger is the landslide.
K. Praveen Kumar,
Pilgrim from Kadapa
