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Uttarakhand likely to allow residents to visit Char Dham shrines after May 4
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, speaking to the media, said inter-district movements will be allowed in green zones of the state from May 4.
A week after the portals of Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines opened amid the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown, the Uttarakhand government may allow residents of green zones in the state to visit Char Dham shrines after May 4.
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, speaking to the media, said inter-district movements will be allowed in green zones of the state from May 4.
“With the opening of inter-district movement, people from Uttarakhand will be able to go to the Char Dham shrines, while strictly maintaining social distancing and following the required guidelines,” he said.
Cabinet minister and state government spokesperson Madan Kaushik said, “We can allow people from the state to go to the shrines as all districts, except one, are in green and orange zones, and there is no restriction on movement in green zones.
“We will clarify with the Central government as to whether movement from orange zones to green zones can be allowed, but those who wish to go in their private cars can be allowed after May 4.”
However, state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj said the tourism department will decide on allowing pilgrims to visit the shrines after the Central government issues specific guidelines.
The guidelines issued by the Centre on permissible activities during the extended lockdown states that, irrespective of zones, movement for “cultural and other kinds of gatherings, religious places or places of worship” is not allowed.
Earlier this week, the portals of Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district, bedecked with 10 quintals of petals, opened at the auspicious time of 6.10am on Wednesday.
The temple opened in the presence of only 16 people, including priests, district administration and police officers and personnel. More than one million pilgrims visited the shrine last year. The iconic temple logged a footfall of almost 700,000 within 45 days of its opening last year.
The portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines in Uttarkashi district opened on April 26.
