The Uttarakhand government plans to use the radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and rescue pilgrims visiting the Char Dham shrines of Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Badrinath.
“RFID tags would be attached to the IDs issued to the pilgrims which will enable us to track them and rescue them if need be,” State Tourism Secretary Umakant Panwar told journalists here on Saturday.
The proposal has been sent to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its approval is awaited, Mr Panwar said, adding that it would take another year to bring it into implementation.
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The Rudraprayag district administration developed three applications, last year, to manage situations during disaster.
Tracking pilgrims, catering to their food supply, and carrying out timely rescue operations during a disaster have become possible with the Geographical Information System (GIS)-based mapping application for the district administration, an android application for the locals, and a messaging service for the Rudraprayag district administration to send emergency messages.