Uttarakhand Government Plans New Authority to Enhance Chardham Yatra

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced plans for a new authority to better manage the Chardham Yatra. The government plans to involve stakeholders like temple committees and Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat. This comes amid protests and new legal measures to prevent misuse of the names of the four Dhams.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday announced that the state government is planning to establish a new authority or another institution to better manage the Chardham Yatra.

Dhami highlighted that the needs of the Chardham Yatra for the next 30 years are being considered in the planning phase, and the government aims to make the pilgrimage more organized and efficient. This decision came after discussions with the Uttarakhand Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat officials. The chief minister emphasized the importance of consulting all stakeholders, including tirtha purohits and temple committees, before finalizing the plan.

The proposal comes shortly after the state Cabinet's decision to implement strict legal provisions to prevent the misuse of names associated with the Chardham temples and their managing trusts. Notably, this move aims to address protests against the construction of a Kedarnath temple replica in Delhi. Additionally, Dhami revealed that efforts are being made to improve both offline and online registration systems for Chardham pilgrims.

(With inputs from agencies.)