High Court stays Uttarakhand government's partial 'Char Dham Yatra' plan

The Uttarakhand High Court clamped a stay on the state Cabinet approval for partial Char Dham Yatra, which was to begin from July 1, expressing dissatisfaction with the arrangements made by the state for pilgrims amid the pandemic.

The high court issued directives in this regard on Monday while hearing a bunch of litigations related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The matter was heard on June 23. The chief secretary was asked to put up a proposal before the Cabinet whether Char Dham Yatra should be allowed or not. The high court has put a complete stay on the yatra in view of the lack of health facilities for the pilgrims," Abhijay Negi, who appeared for two petitioners in the case, told ET from Nainital.


The state cabinet had allowed people from Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi to undertake the yatra by following Covid-19 protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs). The government had set a daily cap of visitors to the four pilgrimage sites.

While Kedarnath and Badrinath temples are in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts respectively, Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines fall in Uttarkashi district.

Negi said the high court also asked why SOPs were not followed in the Kumbh Mela. He said the government will organise live streaming to enable people to have darshan. Citing the example of Jagannath temple in Odisha, the high court also asked the state government to follow a similar model for Char Dham, he said.

Agriculture minister Subodh Unial, who is the state government's official spokesperson, said the government is waiting for a copy of the order. "We are waiting for the court order. We will examine it," he told ET, adding that the state had set a cap of 750 pilgrims a day.

On June 23, the high court had directed the state government to review its decision to commence the Char Dham Yatra on July 1. The court had cited the example of cancellation of Amarnath Yatra by the Jammu and Kashmir administration.