DEHRADUN: In a significant development, the Uttarakhand government has suspended the revered Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimages until September 5, citing relentless and devastating monsoon rains wreaking havoc across the state. The decision comes amidst widespread landslides and blocked routes, prioritising the safety of pilgrims.
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey confirmed the decision on Monday. “Heavy rainfall has led to numerous landslides across the state, blocking routes with debris.
While the government is working on a priority basis to clear these, the decision to suspend the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib yatras until September 5 has been taken to ensure the safety and convenience of pilgrims,” Pandey said.
The Commissioner urged devotees to refrain from travelling on these routes for now, given the adverse weather conditions, and to strictly follow advisories issued by the administration. He added that pilgrimages would only resume once the weather normalises and routes are deemed completely safe for passage.
This pilgrimage season has witnessed an unprecedented influx, with over 42.7 lakh devotees visiting Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib by the end of August. However, specific routes have been impacted earlier: the Yamunotri Dham pilgrimage has been closed since August 18, and the Gangotri route has been shut since August 6 following flash floods in Dharali and Harsil.
A spokesperson for the Tourism Department said a remarkable achievement for Hemkund Sahib, noting, “Despite the challenging weather, the number of devotees visiting Hemkund Sahib this year has already surpassed 2.5 lakh, setting a new record.”
Sources within the Tourism Department's pilgrimage division indicated that, based on the surging pilgrim numbers before August, expectations were high for a record-breaking year for the Char Dham Yatra.
“However, the natural calamities and route disruptions witnessed throughout August have unfortunately put a severe brake on the pilgrimage,” a source said.
Data from previous years shows the growing popularity of these pilgrimages: 4,627,242 pilgrims visited Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib in 2022, 5,618,497 in 2023, and 4,804,215 this year to date, underscoring both the immense devotional significance and the economic impact of these journeys.