Chaos Grips Char Dham Yatra as Pilgrim Numbers Surge...

DEHRADUN: In what seems like a prelude to chaos, the revered Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand has witnessed a staggering 44% surge in pilgrim numbers during its initial two days.

The pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath has unfolded into a logistical nightmare, raising concerns about safety, infrastructure, and environmental preservation.

The heavy inflows of pilgrims  the pilgrims routes presented scenes of stampede like situation. There are no arrangements for care takes like ghorewala  kiltewala and other porters catering to the weak and the elderly pilgrims.

Comparing the first two days of the current 2024 yatra to the same period in the previous year, data compiled by the SDC Foundation president Anoop Nautiyal paints a grim picture. In 2023, over 54 lakh pilgrims embarked on the spiritual journey despite adverse weather conditions.

However, if the current trend persists, the pilgrimage could see an overwhelming surge to an estimated 80 lakh pilgrims this year.

The situation is exacerbated by a glaring lack of proper planning, infrastructure, waste management, and traffic control measures.

The civic administration and local stakeholders seem ill-prepared to address the burgeoning challenges, particularly in the ecologically sensitive zones traversed by the pilgrimage route.

The absence of preemptive measures to mitigate the potential chaos underscores a systemic failure to anticipate and address the needs of the burgeoning pilgrim influx.

As the yatra progresses, concerns loom large over the strain on resources, environmental degradation, and the safety of both pilgrims and residents in the region.

Without immediate intervention and coordinated efforts from authorities, the Char Dham Yatra of 2024 risks descending into a logistical nightmare, overshadowing its spiritual significance with tales of mismanagement and chaos.