Why the Kedarnath Yatra has become accident prone
The Kedarnath Yatra is among the oldest and sacred pilgrimages in India. Its roots are traced to the time of Adi Shankaracharya, who is believed to have restored the shrine. For pilgrims, it used to be a spiritual journey marked by devotion and endurance rather than mere physical expedition, something I experienced during my tenure as the superintendent of police in Chamoli district in 1994.
However, this pilgrimage has undergone a drastic transformation in the last 10 years. Following the devastating 2013 floods and extensive reconstruction efforts by the government, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the shrine, the Yatra has seen an unprecedented surge in footfall. From a daily average of just 2,500 pilgrims in the early 1990s, the number now exceeds 30,000 per day. This brings forth logistical, ecological, and spiritual challenges.
The massive influx of pilgrims has placed enormous pressure on Kedarnath's fragile Himalayan ecosystem and carrying capacity. Managing such vast numbers has become increasingly difficult, especially since the subject is deeply emotional and religious, making regulatory enforcement sensitive. In more recent times, the Yatra has morphed into a status symbol, driven by social media trends where the spiritual essence is often overshadowed by selfie culture and digital bragging rights.
After the 2013 disaster, the trekking path had to be extended from 14 km to 19 km due to terrain shifts, making the journey more arduous. The shared pathway for horses and pedestrians has become overcrowded, unhygienic, unsafe, and even inhumane. It holds the potential to turn into a major tragedy someday.
Helicopter services, once introduced as a relief and convenience utility, have now become another source of ecological and administrative strain. It causes heavy noise pollution, consumes fossil fuels, and generates vibrations that negatively impact the delicate mountain ecology. More importantly, the sudden changes in altitude and temperature, from the plains to an elevation of 12,000 feet, often result in medical emergencies due to poor acclimatisation. Accessing heli-tickets has become a nightmare, with long queues, black marketing and fake website scams. Though only about 2,000 pilgrims can be flown in a day, and that too only when the weather is clear, demand often exceeds 10,000 as a result of VIP requests and public demand.
The weather in the region is highly unpredictable. Visibility can drop to zero within minutes, rendering safe landings impossible even if helicopters are hovering directly above the helipad. In such scenarios, pressure mounts on both the administration and pilots to overlook safety protocols. Strict enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can significantly reduce the possibility of accidents, but it would also substantially reduce the number of flights, something that goes against commercial interests and public demand.
On June 15, 2025, a Bell 407 helicopter en route from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashed, claiming the lives of all seven onboard including a child and the pilot. Poor weather and low visibility appear to be the main cause. The pilot took off before the scheduled time despite adverse weather conditions, risking his life and those of the passengers. This is the fifth helicopter accident during the 2025 Char Dham Yatra season. The growing pressure on pilots from helicopter operators, VIPs, and pilgrims alike, combined with violations of SOPs, has made helicopter services dangerous. This calls for scrutiny and introspection.
To ensure a safe and sustainable Yatra, a multi-pronged approach must be adopted. First and foremost is the construction of a large-capacity, high-quality ropeway system, similar to those found in the Swiss Alps. This would offer a safer and more eco-friendly alternative to both trekking and helicopter travel. Once operational, the use of horses must be completely phased out, with comprehensive rehabilitation plans provided for horse owners. The ropeway project, already announced, must be executed urgently.
Weather-based flight restrictions should be mandatory, supported by real-time monitoring systems at all helipads. Pilots should receive specialised training in mountain flying, and their duty hours must be strictly regulated. Helipads should be technologically upgraded to ensure safe take-offs and landings, and only technically superior helicopters meeting the highest maintenance standards should be allowed to operate in the Kedarnath Valley. A centralised command centre for all helicopter operations should be set up, and public safety advisories backed by enforceable SOPs must be widely disseminated.
Kedarnath is not merely a destination; it is a living embodiment of India's spiritual and cultural heritage. Overcrowding, exceeding the carrying capacity, and rampant commercialisation are threatening the very essence of this sacred site. Unsafe air travel, ecological degradation, and mounting logistical chaos demand immediate and honest introspection by all stakeholders, including the government, pilgrims, service providers, and the society at large.
Ashok Kumar, a former Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, is Vice Chancellor of Sports University of Haryana. The views expressed are personal.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Port City ready for IYD celebration
Visakhapatnam: The11th International Yoga Day will be one of the biggest editions ever organised and the district administration is pulling out all stops to make it a massive success. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving in Visakhapatnam a day before to take part in Yogandhra-2025 scheduled on June 21 (Saturday), he was received by Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan along with an army of Ministers at Visakhapatnam Airport on Friday. The Prime Minister will take part in the International Yoga Day to be held at RK Beach scheduled to commence at 6:30 am and last till 7:45 am. Terming it as a historical celebration, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu mentioned that over 2 crore people will join the mega event scheduled in 1 lakh different locations across the State. In Visakhapatnam, about 26-km-long stretch that runs along RK Beach to Bheemunipatnam has been readied for the Yoga Day celebrations and the event is set to find a place in Guinness World Records along with a host of other world records for its largest participation ever. Long stretches of Beach Road have been carpeted in green, barricades were placed and flexies were installed, greeting Modi at various places across the city. About 326 compartments were facilitated forthe purpose. Guinness Record representatives will be present in each compartment at the beach stretch as the massive event is set to break world records. For safety reasons, an army of professional swimmers and snake catchers will be deployed along the stretch. A temporary hospital has been facilitated at every 5-km stretch. This apart, 335 LED screens and 326 WiFi points were facilitated. Approximately, 10,000 vehicles, including RTC buses, were used for transportation of the participants. Tight security cover is in place with 10,000 police personnel. As part of the safety protocol, the officials went through RT-PCR tests on Friday.
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Hans India
Vizag gets ready for setting world record
Visakhapatnam: Expert saver that yoga is best done in the open where the air is fresh with the early morning sun warming the practitioners. That's fine. Imagine doing it along the picturesque RK Beach here in the company of thousands of others with the aim of setting a world record that may merit entry into the Guinness World Records! Well, that is the setting for the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, potentially making it a standout event among celebrations elsewhere in the country and the world. In fact, the stage was meticulously set on Friday itself for the grand celebration of International Day of Yoga Day in Minister Narendra Modi will lead Saturday's yoga session, which is expected to see over five lakh participants 'stretching' across a remarkable 30-kilometer stretch of the Beach Road, from RK Beach to Bhogapuram. Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, along with other state Ministers, have already arrived in Visakhapatnam for the momentous occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the yoga session from 6:30 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. on the event, he will proceed to INS Dega before departing for Delhi at 11:50 a.m. Union Minister for Ayush Pratap Rao Jadhav and Ministry of Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha have been in Visakhapatnam to oversee the extensive arrangements for the International Day of Yoga celebrations
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Hans India
Beach stretches brim with yoga enthusiasts
Visakhapatnam: The beach road that is frequented by walkers, tourists and visitors on weekends now brims with yoga enthusiasts as scores of them reach their designated compartments in time on Saturday. With green carpets spread all along the 28-km stretch running from RK Beach to Bheemunipatnam, yoga enthusiasts came in droves to take part in the International Yoga Day celebration that witnesses the largest participation on June 21. The 11th edition of the IYD is special in terms of not just highest number of participation but also the way it has been taken among the masses through a month-long 'Yogandhra-2025' campaign initiated by Andhra Pradesh government. In Visakhapatnam, yoga practioners gear up for the biggest event that registered over 5 lakh participants. From 4 am, the participants were seen heading towards the designated blocks and warming up for the main event. At the main venue near Kalimata temple, the stage is set for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival. Hours before the PM's arrival, students and artistes from various centres, associations and educational institutions presented cultural programmes. A festive atmosphere prevailed at RK Beach stretch as the event brought diverse communities on to a platform who contributed their part to the massive event which is set to break records.
