DEHRADUN: With the Char Dham Yatra set to begin later this month, the authorities concerned in Uttarakhand have identified 544 accident-prone spots along the routes of pilgrimage across four districts.
In view of this, the transport headquarters has issued a letter to the National Highways Authority of India, Border Roads Organisation and the Public Works Department, urging immediate action in these areas and requesting a report on the measures taken.
In a bid to enhance safety and ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience for the Yatra, government sources reveal, road safety committees in Dehradun, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts have been directed to conduct surveys.
According to these committees, a total of 544 accident-prone areas have been identified that require immediate attention. The report highlights that there are 38 such areas in Haridwar, 65 in Chamoli, 297 in Tehri and 144 in Dehradun’s Vikas Nagar and Rishikesh regions.
Sources indicate that the safety measures recommended for these routes include traffic calming interventions, rumble strips, informational signage, pothole repairs, chevron boards, crash barriers, road markings, reflectors, the removal of debris along the roads and addressing unauthorised median openings & blind curves.
In a notable first, this year’s Char Dham travel routes have been divided into 15 super zones, 41 zones, and 137 sectors. Speaking to this daily, Dehradun Traffic SP Lokjeet Singh stated, “Each sector will cover an area of 10 kilometres. Police personnel will be on patrol 24 hours a day, ensuring safety and order.” He added, “Over six thousand police officers and staff will be deployed to manage security and traffic throughout the pilgrimage route.”
Notably, registrations for the Yatra have now surpassed an impressive 12.5 lakh.
Yogendra Gangwar, the nodal officer from the Uttarakhand Tourism Department overseeing Char Dham yatra registrations, told TNIE, “We have recorded 3,674 registrations for Kedarnath, 3,045 for Badrinath, 1,918 for Yamunotri and 2,105 for Gangotri from foreign visitors.” The online registration process, which requires Aadhaar verification, began on March 20.