Uttarakhand issues new SOPs for Char Dham Yatra; Registration, e-pass must

A day after the High Court removed the daily cap on the number of devotees visiting the Himalayan shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, the Uttarakhand government on Wednesday issued new standard operating procedures (SOP) for Char Dham Yatra, amidst the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the guidelines, registration and e-pass will be mandatory for 'darshan' in the four dhams.

For devotees coming to Uttarakhand 15 days after receiving a double dose of vaccination, the vaccination certificate has been made mandatory.

Along with this, it will be necessary for devotees to carry a vaccination certificate issued after receiving the double dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or have a negative COVID report not older than 72 hours.

As per the guidelines, the concerned district administration and police officials have been asked to ensure proper COVID-19 guidelines during the 'Char Dham' Yatra.

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, earlier, the Uttarakhand High Court put a limit to the number of devotees that can visit the four holy shrines. After the new order, there will be no daily limit from today.