Dehradun: A fresh standard operating procedure (SOP) has been issued for pilgrims wanting to undertake the Char Dham yatra after Uttarakhand High Court lifted the daily limit on number of devotees.
The state government has now made it mandatory to register on the Char Dham Board portal for ‘darshan’ in the four shrines. However, e-pass from the portal is no longer required to visit the sacred shrines.
Visitors will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have to produce a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours.
“As per Hon’ble High Court of Uttarakhand order dated 05/10/2021 regarding the Chardham Yatra, upper ceiling on number of pilgrims visiting the dham temples has been removed. However all the pilgrims visiting Uttarakhand have to register themselves only on the portal http://smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in and follow the Uttarakhand State Covid-19 SOP,” the website of says Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board says.
Char Dham Yatra was suspended earlier this year because of the disastrous second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The court lifted the stay in September, but limited the number of daily pilgrims to the four Himalayan shrines — 800 for Kedarnath, 1000 for Badrinath, 600 for Gangotri and 400 for Yamunotri. Bathing in any reservoir or spring located around the shrines was also banned.
