Uttarakhand holds tabletop exercise to bolster disaster response for Chardham Yatra 2025

A tabletop exercise (TTEX) was held on Tuesday at the Disaster Operations Centre of Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority in Dehradun.

The exercise aimed to effectively address potential disasters during the upcoming Chardham Yatra and evaluate the preparedness of various line departments under the Incident Response System (IRS).

The Chardham Yatra 2025 will begin with the opening of Yamunotri and Gangotri on April 30, followed by Kedarnath on May 2 and Badrinath on May 4.

This annual pilgrimage, which involves visiting the four sacred Himalayan shrines—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—is a key spiritual journey for Hindus. In the local language, "char" means four, and "dham" refers to religious destinations.

This year's Yatra is being conducted under the banner of "Green Chardham," emphasizing environmental sustainability by enforcing a complete ban on single-use plastic. All relevant departments have been tasked with preparing a disposal plan to manage waste effectively during the pilgrimage season.

Earlier, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey held a crucial review meeting in Dehradun with senior officials and representatives from the hotel industry. The meeting assessed the preparedness for the pilgrimage, with Pandey noting that, “Our preparations for the Chardham Yatra are in the final stages. Almost all arrangements have been completed.” The meeting was attended by around 40 representatives from hotel associations across the pilgrimage districts of Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Rishikesh.

During the meeting, several issues were discussed, including concerns raised by hoteliers about the current quota for online registrations. In response, Pandey confirmed, “In response to a demand from hotel associations, we have agreed to revise the online registration quota. Previously set at a 60:40 ratio, we are now proposing to reduce it to 75% for online bookings.” He added that a request for final approval has been submitted to the Secretary of Tourism to implement the change as soon as possible. The administration also agreed to increase the number of registration counters and acknowledged other suggestions made by hotel representatives.

“We have taken their feedback seriously and have accepted most of the proposals. The association expressed satisfaction and called today's meeting meaningful,” Pandey stated.

On the topic of helicopter services, Pandey reminded pilgrims to make bookings only through the official IRCTC website. “Helicopter bookings are only being done through the IRCTC site. If anyone comes across any other website offering bookings, they should immediately report it to the cyber cell,” he advised.