Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a high-level meeting on Thursday at the CM residence to review the preparations for the upcoming Kainchi Dham Mela. Addressing the exponential rise in pilgrim numbers, the CM directed officials to formulate immediate, mid-term, and long-term strategies to ensure smooth conduct of the fair and better pilgrim facilities.
The Chief Minister emphasized that while short-term steps should focus on improving current operations, mid- and long-term plans must aim at building a robust and sustainable management system. He also ordered the rapid completion of road-cutting work on a 3-kilometre stretch from the Sanatorium to beyond the Bhowali petrol pump to improve traffic flow.
Nainital District Magistrate Vandana Singh informed that footfall at Kainchi Dham has been increasing dramatically, with around 24 lakh devotees visiting in the past year—compared to an annual average of 8 lakh in previous years. For the upcoming mela, officials expect between 2.5 to 3 lakh pilgrims in a single day, prompting the administration to devise a well-structured traffic and crowd management plan.
