New Delhi: Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday reviewed the Chardham Yatra arrangements at the Secretariat. He directed officials and senior government officials and police to oversee travel arrangements at Ground Zero by road, prioritising the safety of all devotees.
CM Dhami urged devotees to adhere to their assigned dates for darshan as per their Chardham Yatra registration, and advised them to undergo health checkups and consider weather forecasts before embarking on the pilgrimage, a govenment statement said.
The CM said that the top priority of the state government is that the Chardham Yatra should be safe, and all the devotees should also be healthy and safe, it added.
CM Dhami has instructed that the arrangements for VIP darshan in all four Dhams be postponed until May 31st.
The Chief Minister has directed officials to ensure that devotees participating in the Chardham Yatra are sent for darshan according to the daily capacity set for all four Dhams. He emphasised the need to strengthen the registration system and instructed that devotees should only be allowed to proceed beyond checkpoints if they are registered for the yatra.
Furthermore, the Transport Department, Revenue Department, and Police Department were tasked with jointly conducting checks at checkpoints, and offline registration was ordered to be suspended for the next three days.
CM Dhami Stressed On Strict Checking
CM Dhami stressed on strict checking at entry points of all Chardham routes, as well as in Vikasnagar, Yamuna Bridge area, Dhanaulti, and Suvakholi, ensuring passenger convenience at these locations.
The Chief Minister mentioned about the importance of effectively disseminating information regarding Chardham Yatra arrangements to the public, directing senior government officials to conduct daily media briefings. He stressed the need for all relevant yatra-related information to be promptly provided to the media for public awareness, as per state govenment.
CM Dhami instructed officials to prioritise crowd and travel management throughout the yatra. He specifically tasked the Director General of Police with personally overseeing on-site inspections for traffic and crowd management, delegating responsibility to senior police officers in all four Dhams.
"All officers should discharge their responsibilities as colleagues", CM Dhami said.
CM Dhami underscored the significance of the Chardham Yatra as the lifeline of Uttarakhand and its crucial role in the state's economy. He stressed the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in ensuring the yatra is smooth and accessible, particularly with the increasing number of devotees.
The state government continues to strive for enhancements in yatra systems. Dhami emphasised the need for coordination among districts along the Chardham Yatra routes to bolster arrangements. He urged devotees to prioritise health standards during their spiritual journey through the sacred Dhams of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand.
CM Dhami conducted a virtual meeting with the District Magistrates of Rupradprayag, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi districts to gather information about various Chardham Yatra arrangements and assess any support required from the government. He instructed government and police officials to promptly address any issues raised by the district administration regarding necessary arrangements for the yatra, ensuring swift resolution of problems encountered, as per state govenment.
In the meeting, various officials including Vice President of State Disaster Management Mr. Vinay Rohila, Chief Secretary Mrs. Radha Raturi, Principal Secretary Mr. R. K Sudhanshu, DGP Shri Abhinav Kumar, Secretary Shri R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Mr. Shailesh Bagoli, Mr. Arvind Singh Hanyanki, Mr. Sachin Kurve, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Secretary and Garhwal Commissioner Mr. Vinay Shankar Pandey, Special Secretary Mrs. Riddhim Aggarwal, and Director General Information Mr. Banshidhar Tiwari participated through virtual medium. District Magistrates and SPs of the concerned districts were also present.