High Court revokes ban on Char Dham Yatra with some strictures

Revoking its earlier decision Uttarakhand High Court has allowed Char Dham Yatra with Covid guidelines. People travelling to visit Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri and Rameswaram have to be fully vaccinated and must carry the Covid negative reports along with them.

Nainital:Uttarakhand High Court has lifted ban on the Char Dham Yatra making Covid guidelines mandatory. The court was hearing the pled filed by the State government seeking the resumption of yatra in the state. Hearing the plea, the court said people travelling to visit Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri and Rameswaram have to be fully vaccinated and must carry the Covid negative reports along with them.

The court further stated that a total of 800 devotees will be allowed in Kedarnath Dham, 1,200 in Badrinath Dham, 600 in Gangotri and 400 devotees in Yamunotri Dham. It also directed the state government to deploy an appropriate number of security forces and authorities at each of the shrines to maintain social distance and adherence to Covid protocol.

The development comes after the Uttarakhand government re-approached the high court on September 8 withdrawing its special leave petition from the Supreme Court following no hearing on the matter in the top court.

Read:Uttarakhand govt approaches HC seeks resumption of Chardham Yatra

The state government had earlier moved Apex court, challenging the High Court's stay on the Char Dham Yatra. The High Court had expressed dissatisfaction over the state government's preparedness to deal with a possible third wave of Covid-19 and had hence, on June 28, put a stay on a state Cabinet's decision to open the yatra for residents of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts from July 1.

Earlier, priests of Char Dham staged a protest against the state government for terminating the yatra. The protest was backed by the Congress party too.

Earlier, Yamunotri Dham was opened on 14th May, Gangotri Dham on 15th May, Kedarnath Dham on 17th May and Badrinath Dham on 18th May, but due to the second wave of the pandemic, the yatra to the holy places were suspended.

Read:Uttarakhand to withdraw SLP on Char Dham from SC