Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the opening ceremony of the Dham portal and personally distributed prasad to devotees at the Mukhya Sevak Bhandara.
Kedarnath Dham, on the first day after opening its doors, witnessed over 30,000 devotees flocking to the Himalayan temple in Uttarakhand, official data stated. As per the official data reported at 7 pm on May 2, 19,196 men, 10,597 women, and 361 visited Kedarnath. The doors of Kedarnath Temple opened on Friday, and a band of the Indian Army’s Garhwal Rifles played devotional tunes on the occasion.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the opening ceremony of the Dham portal and personally distributed prasad to devotees at the Mukhya Sevak Bhandara held at the Kedarnath premises. He announced that the doors of Badrinath Dham will open on May 4.
“The state government is fully prepared to welcome devotees from across the country,” CM Dhami stated. “We are constantly monitoring the pilgrimage at every level and have developed several basic facilities along the yatra routes. The Char Dham Yatra is the lifeline of Uttarakhand and provides livelihood to millions.”
He also emphasised the government’s commitment to making the Char Dham Yatra a year-round event, noting the introduction of winter pilgrimages as part of this initiative.
CM Dhami further revealed that Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for the reconstruction of Kedarnath. Additionally, the central government has approved the construction of a ropeway from Gaurikund to Kedarnath to improve accessibility.
During his address, the Chief Minister highlighted that the Char Dham Yatra began on April 30, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya. He reiterated that the doors of Lord Badrinath Dham will open on May 4, and the pilgrimage will then be in full swing. “We have made extensive arrangements to ensure a safe and smooth journey for devotees, so they do not face any difficulties during the yatra,” he assured.
(With inputs from ANI)
