Urvashi RautelaHe made an emotional visit to the revered Shri Badrinath Dham and Shri Kedarnath Dham along with his family on Tuesday. Overwhelmed by the spiritual atmosphere of these holy places, Rautela urged fellow devotees to go on the Char Dham Yatra.
Originally from Uttarakhand
UttarakhandThe 'Sanam Re' actress, who hails from Kotdwar in Jammu and now lives in Mumbai, began her pilgrimage on Tuesday morning. Rautela first visited Shri Kedarnath Dham where she performed puja and offered Jalabhishek to Lord Kedarnath.
His mother Meera Rautela and brother Yashraj Rautela accompanied him during this holy ritual. After the puja, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) CEO Vijay Prasad Thapliyal presented prasad to the family. Several officials and priests, including priest Shivshankar Ling and senior administrative officer Yaduveer Pushpawan, were present on the occasion. After visiting Kedarnath, Rautela continued his journey to Shri Badrinath Dham in the afternoon, where he accepted the prasad of Lord Badrivishal presented by officer-in-charge Vipin Tiwari. BKTC media in-charge Dr. Harish Gaur shared information about Rautela's visit and highlighted his enthusiasm to promote the Char Dham Yatra.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called an important meeting at the Secretariat on August 17, which was attended by priests, officials, hotel associations, tour operators, transport representatives and trade boards associated with the Char Dham Yatra. The discussion focused on ensuring the safe and smooth conduct of the pilgrimage for the devotees as well as the livelihood of local residents. During the meeting, Dhami highlighted the importance of the Char Dham Yatra and said, “Lakhs of devotees from the country and abroad come to Uttarakhand for darshan. The safe conduct of this yatra is the collective responsibility of all of us.”
He acknowledged the increasing numbers of pilgrims and emphasised the Government's commitment to enhance infrastructure to accommodate this increase. Stakeholders presented various demands aimed at facilitating a successful Yatra.
The chief minister assured that online registration for the Char Dham Yatra would continue from the first week of September till the closure of the gates, facilitating on-the-spot registration for those pilgrims who cannot register online.
He also announced that there would be no limit on the number of registrations, with offline arrangements available at major stops including Haridwar, Rishikesh, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. In response to concerns about travel arrangements, he promised to review barricading and checking procedures to make the experience simpler for pilgrims.
Considering the need for clarity regarding the mandatory Green Card/Trip Card for vehicles from other states, Dhami directed the Transport Department to find a solution. He stressed that preparations for the next Char Dham Yatra will begin soon after the conclusion of the current Yatra. District officials will be tasked to hold meetings with local stakeholders to prepare a comprehensive strategy for future Yatra preparations. Dhami also mentioned expediting the ropeway project at Yamunotri Dham and widening of roads on the Char Dham route, for which approval has already been obtained by the monitoring committee. To increase transport options, a special train called Ganga-Yamuna Express will be introduced, going round major pilgrimage sites like the Kartikeya Express in Madurai.
Additionally, plans are underway to introduce heli services to Yamunotri. The chief minister expressed his commitment to make informed decisions regarding the conduct of the yatra, stressing on collaboration with all stakeholders. “This is the first time since the formation of the state that a chief minister has held such a detailed meeting on various subjects related to the Char Dham,” he said. At the conclusion of the meeting, the stakeholders expressed their appreciation for the chief minister's participation and reiterated their commitment to conduct the yatra safely and efficiently. (ANI)
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