More than 17.79 lakh pilgrims have visited Badrinath Dham so far this year, surpassing the shrine’s previous annual footfall record.A total of 1,779,805 devotees had visited the shrine as of September 22, 153 days after the Badrinath Yatra began on April 23. The shrine’s portals are expected to remain open for another one-and-a-half to nearly two months before closing for the winter.The latest footfall has exceeded the previous record of 1,780,429 visitors recorded in 2023 when comparing the current figure with the year-to-date data provided by the government. The 2025 figure stood at 1,778,298.
Footfall rises after pandemic disruption
According to the Tourism Department data, 695,332 pilgrims visited Badrinath in 2000, the year Uttarakhand was established.The number rose to 768,107 in 2007 and crossed the one-million mark in 2008 and 2010.The 2014 disaster led to a sharp decline in pilgrimage numbers, with footfall falling to 159,575.Visitor numbers subsequently recovered, with 1,048,051 pilgrims visiting Badrinath in 2018 and 1,244,993 in 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic again resulted in a steep decline, with 155,055 visitors recorded in 2020 and 199,409 in 2021.Footfall increased significantly from 2022 onwards. The shrine recorded 1,763,578 visitors in 2022, followed by 1,780,429 in 2023, 1,774,264 in 2024 and 1,778,298 in 2025.On September 22, 6,685 devotees visited Badrinath, according to the data released by the state government.
Government focuses on pilgrim facilities
The government said arrangements for pilgrims had been strengthened in view of the increased footfall during the second phase of the Char Dham Yatra, including health and safety measures and facilities at the shrines and along the pilgrimage route.
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The government also said work was underway to improve facilities at Badrinath Dham.“Keeping in view the increasing number of pilgrims during the second phase of the Char Dham Yatra, special focus has been placed on strengthening pilgrim facilities at the dhams and en-route halts. Health and safety arrangements have also been strengthened. Under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, work is being carried out at a rapid pace to give Shri Badrinath Dham a grand, divine and well-organised form in keeping with its religious and mythological significance. This will provide better facilities and a more comfortable experience to devotees”, said Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
