Registration for Kedarnath yatra suspended till Apr 30 due to bad weather

The registration of pilgrims for the Kedarnath yatra was on Sunday suspended till April 30 in Rishikesh and Haridwar due to rain and snowfall in the upper reaches of the Garhwal Himalayas, officials said.

The Kedarnath Dham will be opened to the public on Tuesday.

Additional commissioner (administration) of Garhwal division and additional chief executive officer of Chardham Yatra Administration Organisation Narendra Singh Kaviriyal said that in view of the bad weather and heavy snowfall, the registration of pilgrims for the Kedarnath yatra has been suspended till April 30 in Rishikesh and Haridwar.

The government will review the weather conditions in the coming days and accordingly take a decision in the interest of the pilgrims, he said.

Due to incessant rain and snowfall in the upper reaches of the Garhwal Himalayas, the mercury in the region has dropped significantly and authorities are facing problems in clearing the snow that keeps accumulating on footpaths.

An official spokesperson said the state government has urged the pilgrims to check the weather forecast before starting the yatra and to carry enough warm clothes.

The government also said that due to the weather, the pilgrims might have to face all sorts of problems during the yatra. However, adequate medical arrangements have been made along all the yatra routes, it said.

It added that it is committed to ensuring smooth, safe and uninterrupted travel for the pilgrims and the arrangements are being regularly monitored at the highest level.

The registration of pilgrims for the other three dhams -- Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri -- is underway.

While the shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri opened on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Saturday, the Badrinath Dham will open on April 27.

So far, more than 16 lakh people from India and abroad have registered for the Chardham Yatra, according to officials.