Going on Char Dham Yatra? You must possess COVID negative report

Dehradun: If you are planning the Char Dham yatra scheduled to start next month, you should know that the Uttarakhand government has made the COVID-19 negative RT-PCR report mandatory for pilgrims embarking upon this religious yatra. 

Ravinath Raman, chairman of Char Dham Devsthanam Board which manages the yatra has stated that the situation is being assessed and SOP will be issued soon. Raman, who is the commissioner of Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, is quoted by a news daily as saying, "The standard operating procedure for Char Dham Yatra will be issued soon and we have decided to keep it pretty much same as last year with all precautions." 

The state government has started preparations in advance to contain the pandemic situation. In 2019, as many 38 lakh pilgrims visited the shrines, but in 2020, merely 4.2 lakh could visit these holy places.

The SOPs for the Char Dham yatra are expected to include several conditions to visit the four revered shrines- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri including the need to register themselves and get an e-pass. The standard operating procedure may also mention that every pilgrim must carry identification and address proof, according to reports.

The duration of yatra can also be increased if any natural calamity forces pilgrims' movement such as landslides, excessive rainfall, and others. The state government may also put a limitation on the number of pilgrims visiting every shrine per day. 

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