Dehradun: The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) Chairman Hemant Dwivedi has announced a record rise in pilgrim turnout this year, with over 31 lakh devotees visiting the twin Himalayan shrines so far. He termed it an “unexpected increase,” crediting government efforts for the smooth conduct of the yatra. However, the unprecedented numbers also raise serious questions about sustainability, environmental pressure, and the region’s fragile carrying capacity — concerns that the government seems unwilling to confront publicly.
According to official figures, 16,56,539 pilgrims visited Kedarnath and 14,59,450 visited Badrinath this year — a marginal but significant rise from 2024. Dwivedi described it as a reflection of improved facilities and better management under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s direction. Yet, a closer look reveals that this “success” may be coming at a heavy environmental and infrastructural cost.
The narrow valleys and steep slopes of the Kedarnath and Badrinath regions are already stretched beyond their natural limits. Construction work — from widening roads to building new lodges, parking areas, and helipads — has intensified in recent years, altering the delicate mountain ecosystem. Massive influxes of vehicles have worsened air pollution and triggered frequent traffic jams near Sonprayag, Gaurikund, and Joshimath. Waste disposal continues to be a critical challenge, with plastic waste and sewage often ending up in rivers and forested areas.
Experts have long warned that Uttarakhand’s high-altitude shrines are not designed to handle such heavy tourist inflow. The 2013 Kedarnath disaster was a grim reminder of the region’s sensitivity, yet large-scale, rapid construction has resumed under the pretext of “modernisation.” While BKTC and the state government highlight pilgrim comfort and economic growth, little is being said about the irreversible damage being done to the very environment that sustains the Char Dham route.
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If the state continues to measure pilgrimage success only by headcount, it risks turning spiritual devotion into an environmental crisis. True success lies not in record numbers, but in ensuring that the Himalayas — and their sacred sites — survive the pressure of human ambition and political display.
