Uttarakhand: Govt to start direct bus services from Delhi to Char Dham

Initially, over 100 buses will be operated and the devotees can book the buses directly from Delhi to Badrinath, Sonprayag (Kedarnath), Gangotri and Yamunotri, officials said

Uttarakhand state transport department is planning to operate direct buses from Delhi for the convenience and safety of the pilgrims planning to embark on the Char Dham yatra this season.

The Char Dham temples comprise four pilgrim destinations, including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, in Uttarkhand (File Photo)

Initially, over 100 buses will be operated and the devotees can book the buses directly from Delhi to Badrinath, Sonprayag (Kedarnath), Gangotri and Yamunotri, officials said. Similarly, the bus service will also be started for the devotees from the Kumaon region of the state.

For this, the government has already begun the process of procuring more than 350 buses.

Chandan Ramdas, Uttarakhand transport minister said, “There is a great demand for the direct bus services for Char Dham yatra from Delhi and we have decided to run over 350 buses out of which 60 will be Electric buses, 100 diesel buses and 200 CNG buses and since they all comply to BS 6 norms, there will be no problem in operating them from Delhi.”

“We are planning to start the service from Anand Vihar and ISBT bus terminus simultaneously”, Ramdas added.

The business community has welcomed the move but it is of the view that the conditions of roads also needed to be improved soon on the Char Dham route.

Sanjay Agarwal, president, Mussoorie hotel association said, “Running direct buses for Chard Dham is a welcome move but the department should also ensure that the conditions of the roads on the yatra route is also improved as currently, the roads under the all-weather project, are good but the non-highway routes as on Mussoorie-Kempty Fall-Yamunotri Road, Mussoorie-Suvakholi-Uttarkashi route need upgradation wit crash barriers installed on the sides of the road on a mandatory basis.”

The transport minister said for the safety of travellers, the state has directed the officials to complete the work of installing crash barriers and upgrading the hotspot areas on the Char Dham route and placing adequate signage on the route.

The fare for the bus services for the Char Dham yatra from Delhi will be announced soon and booking counters will also be opened at Rishikesh, Hardwar, and ISBT Dehradun, he said.

Char Dham yatra will start with the opening of the portals of Gangotri Dham and Yamunotri Dham on April 22.

The portals of Badrinath Dham will be opened at 7.10am on April 27, while the portals of Kedarnath Dham will be opened on April 25 at 6.20am for the devotees.