Strict Ban on Usage of Polythene during Chardham Yatra

Government has enforced strict ban on use of plastic and polythene during Char Dham Yatra. The Government is also engaged in ensuring that inconveniences that might arise due to shortage of vehicles during peak pilgrimage season of Char Dham Yatra are lessened and alternatives are employed.

ban use plastic thermocol during char dham

Usage of polythene is strictly prohibited during the highly coveted Char Dham Yatra. Administration is continually engaged in ensuring merchants and traders adhere to the no-plastic rule. Also, the number of vehicles plying along Char Dham Yatra route has also been increased. About 1350 buses would run in rotation from Rishikesh alone. 100 buses have also been employed from Dehradun. There are 100 buses under Uttarakhand Roadways as well as 50 under KMO from Haldwani employed for the same cause. Taxis of varying sizes employed to run during Char Dham pilgrimage are estimated at 12,000 in number. If the demand for more vehicles persists, even school buses would be employed for char Dham Yatra.

All Weather Road

Special care has been taken to ensure that construction of all-weather road would not negatively impact the pilgrimage season. To ensure the travel doesn’t get interrupted, road cutting and blasting are prohibited for two months. Barricading is employed at the spots that are highly susceptible to the occurrence of landslides and accidents, JCBs are employed as well.

Mobile APP for Pilgrims

Tourism Secretary Dilip Jawalkar states that creation of Mobile APP to make the pilgrimage more convenient for devotees is in its final phase. This App is expected to prove highly beneficial for pilgrims. Also, many counters meant to provide myriad facilities including photometric registration to pilgrims would be opened. Measures to ensure that pilgrims are not conned or deceived by excessive pricing of items have also been taken. Hotels and restaurants will have to ensure the right prices of items on sale are kept on display.

The ban on polythene has been implemented to minimize the effects of pollution due to Char Dham Yatra in Himalayan regions. Special measures have been taken to ensure solid waste management as well. This year’s Char Dham Yatra is estimated to break previous years’ records.

– Translated version of Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj’s statement