Uttarakhand conducts tabletop exercise for disaster management during Chardham Yatra

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 22 (ANI): A tabletop exercise (TTEX) was conducted on Tuesday at the Disaster Operations Centre of Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, Dehradun, with the aim of effectively dealing with possible disasters during the Chardham Yatra.
Additionally, to test the preparations of various line departments under the IRS (Incident Response System) for the Chardham Yatra.
The Char Dham Yatra 2025 begins with the opening of Yamunotri and Gangotri on April 30, followed by Kedarnath on May 2 and Badrinath on May 4.
The Char Dham Yatra, one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimages, includes visits to four sacred Himalayan shrines: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. In Hindi, "char" means four, and "dham" refers to religious destinations.
This year's Yatra is being conducted under the banner of "Green Chardham," which imposes a complete ban on single-use plastic. All departments have been asked to prepare a disposal plan for this.
Meanwhile, earlier, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey held a crucial review meeting with senior officials and representatives of the hotel industry at his camp office in Dehradun to assess the readiness for the pilgrimage.
"Our preparations for the Chardham Yatra are in the final stages. Almost all arrangements have been completed," he said.
The meeting saw participation from around 40 representatives of hotel associations from major pilgrimage districts, including Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Rishikesh. Several issues and suggestions were discussed, with hoteliers raising concerns about the existing quota for online registrations."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," Pandey said.
He added that a request for final approval has been submitted to the Secretary of Tourism to implement the change as soon as possible.
Additionally, the administration has agreed to increase the number of registration counters and has taken note of other suggestions made by the 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," the Commissioner added.
Regarding helicopter services, Pandey advised pilgrims to book 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 stated. (ANI)