SOP issued for Chardham Yatra
Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Board has also issued its SOP late in the evening after the Uttarakhand High Court, Nainital lifted the ban on Uttarakhand Chardham Yatra, after the SOP was issued by the Department of Religion, Government of Uttarakhand. While releasing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Commissioner Garhwal and Chief Executive Officer of Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Management Board, Ravinath Raman said that the SOP issued by the government would be fully complied with.
Several important points have been included in the SOP. In which it has been said that the compliance of the decision / directions of the Hon’ble High Court and the SOP issued by the government will be ensured. Corona prevention standards, social distancing, masks, sanitizers and thermal screening have been made mandatory.
In the light of the directions of the court, out of the four Dhams, there is a cap of 1000 (one thousand) daily pilgrims in Badrinath Dham, 800 (Eight hundred) for Kedarnath, 600 (Six hundred) for Gangotri, 400 (Four hundred) devotees for Yamunotri Dham.
Each pilgrim will be required to have a 72 hours prior Corona RTPCR negative report or a certificate of having both the vaccines of Corona Vaccination. It will be mandatory for the pilgrims of such states which are sensitive from the point of view of corona, to bring a corona negative report.
Every pilgrims will have to upload their ID proof and Covid negative report or certificate of vaccination on the website of Devasthanam Board www.devasthanam.uk.gov.in for registration/yatra e-pass. Only three devotees will enter the temple at a time for darshan. The worship rituals will be done following social distance. Touching of idols, any kind of coating, touching of bells will be prohibited in the temple.
The Chief Executive Officer said that the pilgrims would participate in the worship of Devasthanams with social distancing but they would not be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. For any assistance and guidance, the officers and employees of the Devasthanam Board can be contacted. The media in-charge of Devasthanam Board, Dr. Harish Gaur informed that this year the doors of Kedarnath Dham opened on 17th May, Badrinath Dham on 18th May, Yamunotri Dham on 14th May, Gangotri Dham on 15th May. Still one and a half to two months time is left for Chardham Yatra. As soon as the Chardham Yatra begins, the pilgrims will reach Panch Badri and Panch Kedars for the second Kedar Madmaheshwar, the third Kedar Tungnath and the fourth Kedar Rudranath.
In view of the Corona epidemic, the Chardham Yatra remained suspended during the hearing of the PILs filed in the High Court, during this time, on the initiative of the State Government and the Devasthanam Board, the High Court allowed the Chardham Yatra to start. Right now the Chardham Yatra will run till mid-November. Which is being welcomed by the general public.
