DEHRADUN: Frequent visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines has attracted an unprecedented number of pilgrims to Char Dham Yatra.
Till date, 29,44,872 lakh pilgrims have visited Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. The highest number of pilgrims visiting the shrines have been recorded this season as the numbers are poised to cross 30 lakh mark soon.
BD Singh, chief executive officer of Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee said, "Visits by honourable PM inspired pilgrims to visit the shrines without any fear. We hope to receive record number of pilgrims till the temple gates close next month."
The Prime Minister visited Kedarnath in 2017, 2018 and latest in May 2019. His latest visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines were in May 2019 in which he also meditated in the meditation cave in Kedarnath for hours.
This comes after thousands of pilgrims were stranded in and around Badrinath last month die to incessant rains, cloudbursts and incidents of landslides. However, the roads were created after which the traffic on the routes was resumed to normal.
"The increased footfall is also a result of better management and making people believe about their safety during journey," added the CEO.
Ajay Gautam, a Delhi resident who is involved in multiple public interest litigations related to Char Dham told, "Many projects related to the four shrines are a result of direct interest and intervention of the PM. The facilities in the shrines will soon become world-class including the under-construction Char Dhar route."
The shrines received 26,22,325 pilgrims in the year 2018 which is the second-highest since the formation of the hill state in the year 2000.
In the year 2000 total 12,92,411 pilgrims arrived at Char Dham Yatra.
The lowest number of pilgrims was recorded in the year 2014 with 2,90,509 devotees aftermath of 2013 tragedy. The disaster killed over 5000 people scaring the visitors which led to a decline in the numbers of devotees visiting the shrines.
The numbers have increased since the year 2015 with 8,04,008 pilgrims followed by 14,04,707 in year 2016 and 21,92,647 pilgrims in year 2017.
In the year 2001, total pilgrims visiting all the four shrines stood 809266 followed by 790211 in year 2002, 1033424 in year 2003, 1040155 in year 2004, 1341304 in year 2005, 1662935 in year 2006, 1942785 in year 2007, 2199608 in year 2008, 1904239 in year 2009, 1942232 in year 2010, 2440855 in year 2011, 2468838 in year 2012, 1273553 in year 2013 and 290509 in year 2014.
Apart from the increasing number of pilgrims in years, the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines also got cash offerings of Rs 83.20 crore in 18 years from 2001 to 2018 revealed an RTI query in May, this year.
Besides cash, the RTI revealed that 3,800 kg silver and over 7 kg pure gold and was offered at these temples.
The RTI reply also revealed that the highest amount of cash in Kedarnath shrine was received in the fiscal year 2018-19 with Rs 12.16 Crore followed by year 2017-18 with Rs 10.79 Crore, Rs 7.32 Crore in year 2016-17, Rs 7.24 Crore in year 2012-13, Rs 6.64 Crore in 2013-14, Rs 6.21 Crore in 2011-12, Rs 5.39 Crore in 2010-11, Rs 4.87 in year 2009-10, Rs 3.73 Crore in year 2008-09, Rs 3.34 Crore in year 2015-16, Rs 3.22 Crore in 2007-08, Rs 2.80 Crore in year 2006-07, Rs 2.16 Crore in year 2005-06, Rs 1.67 Crore in year 2003-04, Rs 1.63 Crore in year 2004-05, Rs 1.10 Crore in year 2001-02 and Rs 1.07 Crore in year 2002-03.