Char Dham Yatra: Check posts set up, registration, trip card mandatory– Uttarakhand takes steps to avoid overcrowding

Rishikesh: With the Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand receiving unprecedented crowd, check posts in Dehradun, Mussoorie and Rishikesh were activated on Saturday to ensure that only registered pilgrims are allowed for the Char Dham Yatra. "This has been done to ensure that the number of pilgrims does not exceed the daily limit prescribed for the temples. It will also help prevent any last minute confusion," Dehradun District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar said. The pilgrims will be stopped at the check posts and will not be allowed to proceed on their onward journey until they produce the mandatory registration and a trip card clearly mentioning the date and time of their visit to the temples, he said.

The officer said arrangements have been made to register those pilgrims who arrive without registration due to lack of information.

The check posts are set up in Vikasnagar, Suwakholi diversion in Mussoorie, Yamuna bridge beyond Kempty fall and in Rishikesh, which is the entry point for the yatra, he said.

A revenue officer of the rank of sub-divisional magistrate has also been appointed as the yatra magistrate and posted at ISBT, Dehradun.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Garhwal Range, Karan Singh Nagnyal, held a meeting with police officials to review arrangements for the yatra at Muni-ki-Reti in Rishikesh. He personally inspected the Char Dham-bound pilgrims at Bhadrakali and Tapovan Sarai.

Check posts have also been activated in Vyasi and Devprayag, Nangyal said.

Additional Commissioner, Garhwal, Narnedra Singh Quiriyal, also reviewed the arrangements for the yatra at ISBT, Dehradun, and sought better coordination among the departments.

So far, 2,84,060 pilgrims have visited Kedarnath and Badrinath which opened on May 6 and May 8, respectively.

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