Uttarakhand: The Dhami government has started preparations for the Chardham Yatra 2026; the Garhwal Commissioner and IG held a meeting with officials

Preparations for the 2026 Char Dham Yatra have already begun. A large and important meeting regarding the 2026 Char Dham Yatra was held at the Char Dham Yatra Transit Camp in Rishikesh, with all officials arriving at the transit camp to participate. The meeting, which focused on the 2026 Char Dham Yatra, was chaired by Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey. IG Garhwal Rajiv Swaroop also participated in the meeting. Discussions at the meeting centered on the management and control organization for the 2026 Char Dham Yatra.

The Garhwal Commissioner questioned officials from all departments involved in the Char Dham Yatra and instructed them to make necessary arrangements for the upcoming pilgrimage. Detailed discussions were held with the District Magistrates and senior police officials of the Garhwal region regarding the arrangements. The Garhwal Commissioner emphasized the importance of maintaining smooth operations during the pilgrimage, and the IG Garhwal instructed that security arrangements in the Char Dham region be taken seriously.

Key points of the meeting:

• First, a review of experiences from the previous pilgrimage and discussions on areas needing improvement.
• A detailed analysis of which arrangements worked well during the last pilgrimage and which areas had shortcomings.
• Emphasis will be placed on strengthening the infrastructure for the Char Dham Yatra.
• Topics covered included the condition of pilgrimage routes, road and bridge repairs, availability of health facilities, ambulance services, drinking water, toilets, parking, and crowd management.

After the meeting, the Garhwal Commissioner stated that millions of devotees visit the important Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand every year. All officials have been instructed to take care of the devotees’ facilities and perform their duties diligently. Officials from all departments involved in the Char Dham Yatra have been instructed to complete their preparations well in advance. These preparations primarily include traffic management, drinking water, sanitation facilities, parking, road repairs, security, health and transportation services, as well as better management of accommodation for the pilgrims.

Participants in the meeting included:

• Stakeholders involved in the pilgrimage.
• Temple priests and hotel associations. Representatives from Dandi-Kandi, chopper associations, and transport companies.
• Officials from the concerned districts.

Feedback was taken from all of them during the meeting. Emphasis will then be placed on creating a better system. Proposals have also been sought from the district level. It is worth noting that more than 5 million pilgrims visited Uttarakhand during the last Char Dham Yatra. This time, even more pilgrims are expected, and a roadmap is being prepared to handle the increased numbers.