183 Dead in 100 Days 60 Percent arrive on first 30 Days: Uttarakhand’s Char Dham Yatra Needs a Rethink, Says SDC Foundation
Dehradun, August 22– The numbers are in, and they’re grim.
Over 3.26 million pilgrims thronged Uttarakhand’s Char Dhams and Hemkund Sahib in the first 100 days of this year’s yatra.
And while the state government is busy flaunting these numbers as a record, the SDC Foundation is sounding the alarm bells.
In a mid-term report titled "Data Analysis of 100 Days - Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra 2024," the Dehradun-based foundation has laid bare the harsh reality: 183 pilgrims have died in these sacred places, with Kedarnath alone witnessing 89 deaths.
The report warns that Uttarakhand's pilgrimage rush is more than just a spiritual journey—it’s becoming a death trap.
A Stampede in the Making?
The Char Dham Yatra kicked off on May 10, with Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri throwing open their portals. Badrinath followed on May 12, and Hemkund Sahib opened on May 25.
By August 17, when the yatra marked its 100th day, 60% of the total pilgrims had already rushed in during the first 30 days alone.
Kedarnath emerged as the most popular destination, pulling in over 10.9 lakh pilgrims, but at what cost?
The SDC Foundation’s founder, Anoop Nautiyal, doesn’t mince words. “The first 30 days were overwhelming. The government’s obsession with record-breaking pilgrim numbers is downright dangerous.
We need to shift our focus from quantity to quality. This yatra should respect the carrying capacity principles—something the government seems to have forgotten.”
Deaths and Disasters
The report is a chilling reminder of what happens when carrying capacity is ignored. Out of the 183 deaths reported, most were due to health issues triggered by the high altitude and grueling conditions.
Kedarnath saw the highest death toll, with 83 fatalities due to health reasons and 6 from natural disasters. Badrinath followed with 44 deaths, while Yamunotri and Gangotri reported 31 and 15 deaths, respectively. Even Hemkund Sahib, with its relatively smaller pilgrim count, saw 4 deaths.
Stop the Hype, Start the Management
Nautiyal’s message to the Uttarakhand government is clear: Stop treating pilgrim numbers as trophies and start managing the yatra responsibly.
He argues that the yatra should be guided by carrying capacity studies carried out by independent experts, not by the government’s PR machine.
The report also highlights critical areas needing urgent attention: chaotic online/offline registration, risky helicopter services, inadequate crowd control, poor waste management, and insufficient healthcare.
Landslide mitigation is another ticking time bomb that’s been ignored for far too long.
A Call for Change
The SDC Foundation is pushing for a comprehensive review of this year’s Char Dham Yatra.
They’re urging the state government to sit down with stakeholders and make some hard decisions before the next pilgrimage season.
Nautiyal made it clear that this is not just a mid-term report—it’s a wake-up call. A more detailed report will follow at the end of the yatra, and it’s set to land on the desk of the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.
“We can’t keep turning a blind eye to the dangers piling up on our sacred mountains,” says Nautiyal.
“If the government doesn’t act now, we’re only inviting more tragedies.”
