Uttarakhand: A massive surge of faith witnessed at Badri-Kedar; 30.62 lakh pilgrims have offered prayers, and the BKTC has generated revenue of ₹74.50 crore so far

Despite the challenges posed by the monsoon, the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand continues uninterrupted. So far, 3,062,228 pilgrims have visited the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines. Meanwhile, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has generated revenue exceeding ₹74.50 crore from the pilgrimage.

Hemant Dwivedi, Chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, stated that as of August 10, 1,612,112 pilgrims had visited Badrinath Dham and 1,450,116 had visited Kedarnath Dham. The temple committee has earned approximately ₹37 crore in revenue from Kedarnath Dham alone.

He emphasized that ensuring a simple, accessible, safe, and organized pilgrimage experience for every visitor is the committee’s top priority. Despite the monsoon, the Yatra is proceeding smoothly; arrangements regarding temple premises, trekking routes, drinking water, healthcare services, and pilgrim rest houses have been strengthened for the convenience of the devotees.

Continuous monitoring of the pilgrimage arrangements is being conducted via CCTV cameras. The temple committee is also coordinating with local rights-holders (hak-hakookdharis), Tirth Purohits (pilgrimage priests), the administration, and relevant departments. A ‘Tirth Purohit Welfare Fund’ has been established for the welfare of the priests and other stakeholders.

The BKTC Chairman mentioned that issues faced by the Bajigar drummers at the Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath were resolved following discussions, leading to the withdrawal of their protest. Meanwhile, renovation work on the Kotha building of the Omkareshwar Temple is underway. Efforts are also being made to renovate the Shri Tungnath Temple and develop the Shri Triyuginarayan Temple as a wedding destination.

The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham and Shri Badrinath Dham were opened to pilgrims on April 22 and April 23, 2026, respectively. Preparations have now begun for the second phase of the Char Dham Yatra, which commences after the monsoon. The BKTC states that arrangements regarding pilgrim safety, convenience, and smooth darshan will be further strengthened during this phase.