Registration is mandatory for Rudranath Yatra, only 140 devotees allowed for one day.

Chamoli: The doors of Rudranath temple, the fourth Kedar among the Panch Kedars, are to open on May 18. For which the administration and Kedarnath Forest Division along with the temple committee have started preparations.

This time, to streamline the Rudranath Yatra, the Forest Division has formed an Ecology Development Committee (EDC). The number of devotees for the Yatra has also been determined.

Tarun Singh, Divisional Forest Officer of Kedarnath Forest Division, said that to conduct the fourth Kedar of the Panch Kedars, Shri Rudranath Yatra, in a systematic manner, Ecology Development Committees have been formed in Sagar, Gwad, Gangolgaon, Siroli and Kujaun villages along the Yatra route. Keeping in mind the number of devotees who went on Rudranath Yatra in the past years and the environment and ecology of the protected area, this year the number of devotees per day has been determined to be 140 as per the carrying capacity of the pilgrims.

In such a situation, for the smooth conduct of the Yatra, the Kedarnath Wildlife Division has prepared a website https://kedarnathwildlife-uk-gov-in/ for online registration of the pilgrims. In which all the pilgrims coming to Rudranath will have to compulsorily register. This year, the pilgrimage to Shri Kedarnath temple will be conducted through EDC constituted by the Forest Division. Due to which the local people of all the villages concerned will get an opportunity for self-employment.

This year, the EDC has given permission to the local villagers to operate 18 tents at 3 places on the Yatra route. At the same time, bio-toilets are being installed near Lwinti and Shri Rudranath Temple on the Yatra route. Provision has also been made by the EDC to appoint cleaning staff for the cleanliness system on the Yatra route. He told that registration in EDC has been made mandatory for operating guides, porters and horses and mules on the Yatra route. Also, provisions have been made for strict action against the concerned in case of violation of rules.