Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand sees record pilgrim numbers amid landslide disruption

Between April 19 and June 4, more than 10.15  lakh devotees visited the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines as part of the Char Dham Yatra, a 7.5 % rise over the same period last year. The Uttarkashi district recorded 498,367 pilgrims at Yamunotri and 517,485 at Gangotri, with 99,165 vehicles—including 74,365 small and 24,800 large—transporting visitors. Police and administration heightened safety measures, deploying CCTV cameras, drones, and dividing the pilgrimage routes into super‑zones, zones and sectors for better traffic and disaster management.

On June 5 a landslide near Syana Chatti blocked the Yamunotri National Highway, halting traffic and stranding pilgrims. Authorities halted movement for safety, dispatched JCBs and other machinery to clear debris, and urged travelers to remain patient. Officials said the road could reopen within a few hours if weather permits, while the district disaster management team continued monitoring the situation.