Keypoints:
- Cabinet minister and government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal said, “Kedarnath will be open for people in Rudraprayag district, Badrinath will be open for people in Chamoli district, and Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines will be open for people in Uttarkashi district.
- Covid curfew in the state has been extended from June 15 to 22 with some relaxations in place.
- State tourism minister Satpal Maharaj had recently said that the plan was to open Char Dham Yatra in a phased manner, first for locals and then for the ones from outside.
On Monday, the state government said that the Char Dham Yatra will be opened for pilgrims from Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi districts of Uttarakhand from June 15 on the conditions of a negative RT-PCR report. The Himalayan shrines are located in these districts.
Cabinet minister and government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal said, “Kedarnath will be open for people in Rudraprayag district, Badrinath will be open for people in Chamoli district, and Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines will be open for people in Uttarkashi district.
“People of Chamoli district now have the permission to visit Badrinath temple for ‘darshan’ if they have a negative RT-PCR test report. Similarly, people of Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts can also now visit Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri respectively with a negative RT-PCR test report,” the minister said.
Uniyal said that means of public transport like auto rickshaws and tempos have been allowed to ply on the roads and shops selling sweets can now open for five days in a week.
He also said that Covid curfew in the state has been extended from June 15 to 22, with some relaxations in place. He added that the number of attendees for weddings and funerals has also been increased from 20 to 50.
State tourism minister Satpal Maharaj had recently said that the plan was to open Char Dham Yatra in a phased manner, first for locals and then for the ones from outside.
Collectively, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri shrines are called Char Dham. Pilgrimage starts from Yamunotri in the west, proceeding to Gangotri and finally to Kedarnath and Badrinath in the east.
Amid the spike in Covid cases, the state government, on April 29 had put the Yatra on hold which was scheduled for May 14.
Fear was that the Yatra could turn into another super spreader after many people succumbed to Covid-19 after participating in Mahakumbh in the state’s Haridwar.
Following the decision, only portals of the shrines were opened for a ritual worship by the priests. Portals of the Yamunotri shrine were opened on May 14; that of Gangotri on May 15; of Kedarnath on May 17; while the portals of Badrinath were opened on May 18.
