By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
With Uttarakhand witnessing a surge in tourist and pilgrim rush during the peak summer season, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reviewed the arrangements for the Char Dham Yatra at a high-level meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Dhami said that better coordination, effective communication, and systematic management can make the pilgrimage safer and more successful.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to prepare a detailed SOP to further streamline the darshan arrangements at all four shrines in accordance with the number of pilgrims visiting them. He emphasized that the restriction on vehicular movement along the Chardham Yatra routes between 10 pm and 4 am must be enforced strictly.
Dhami’s comments came as deaths due to health complications, drowning incidents and accidents have raised concerns across the state especially during the Chardham yatra season.
In the latest incident, two pilgrims visiting Kedarnath shrine died during the past 48 hours due to heart and breathing problems. Seventy-three pilgrims have died so far in the Kedarnath yatra route alone this yatra season.
The Chardham Yatra has recorded a total of 146 deaths so far since its commencement on April 18 with officials attributing all but one fatality to pre-existing health conditions. Authorities said many pilgrims, particularly those above 50 years of age, undertake the demanding pilgrimage despite medical advisories against travel. A record 29.85 lakh pilgrims have so far visited the Chardham shrines.
Kedarnath has reported the highest number of deaths at 73, followed by Badrinath 40 Yamunotri 18 and Gangotri 15. The lone non-health-related death occurred recently when a pilgrim fell into a deep gorge in the Kedarnath region.
Apart from the pilgrimage circuit, several fatalities have been reported from other popular tourist destinations. Nearly a dozen people have drowned in the Ganga at different locations in Haridwar and Rishikesh over the past fortnight. Two persons were drowned in the Ganga canal in Haridwar district on Jun 2.
In Rudraprayag district, two brothers from Lucknow lost their lives after being caught in a severe storm, heavy rain and lightning near the popular Tungnath-Chobata tourist destination on Friday last.
Accidents are also causing big fatalities in the hill state. Four tourists were killed and three went missing in Uttarakhand’s Devprayag area in Tehri district after an Innova vehicle carrying eight people, mostly from Rajasthan, plunged into the Ganga on Tuesday morning. One child, who was seriously injured, is battling with life in a hospital.
Officials have urged pilgrims and tourists to follow safety advisories, undergo health check-ups before undertaking high-altitude journeys and exercise caution near rivers and water bodies during the busy summer season.