The onset of the monsoon has significantly slowed down the pace of the Chardham Yatra, with Kedarnath witnessing a marked drop in daily pilgrim numbers. Over the past week, rainfall has disrupted the Rudraprayag–Gaurikund highway and the Gaurikund–Kedarnath trekking route, directly affecting footfall and local businesses.
In May alone, Kedarnath had received 6.96 lakh pilgrims, followed by over 6.18 lakh in June. However, in the first nine days of July, only 27,280 devotees reached the shrine. On Wednesday, the count was at its lowest, with just 1,165 pilgrims offering prayers.
The slowdown has also severely impacted businesses in the Kedar valley. Canteen operator Rakesh Negi reported near standstill in operations. Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam’s Regional Manager, Girveer Singh Rawat, confirmed that daily bookings continue to get cancelled. According to BKTC’s Chief Administrative Officer, Yudveer Pushpwan, the drop began in the third week of June, with only 1,500–2,000 pilgrims visiting daily now.
Meanwhile, Badrinath Yatra, which began on May 4, has seen over 11.4 lakh devotees so far. Yet hotel businesses report a 15–20% decline in bookings compared to last year. Hoteliers attribute the dip to several travel-related challenges and weather uncertainties.
