More photometric registration centres for yatris

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 4

The Tourism Department has increased the number of registration centres in the state to 14 to facilitate photometric registration of pilgrims before they undertake the Char Dham Yatra.

The department would facilitate photometric registration of pilgrims at 50 counters of these 14 centres set up in different cities along the yatra route.

Besides, the pilgrims can also avail online registration facility through government website portal. Officials said the pilgrims without having a valid photometric registration number would not be allowed to visit even one sacred shrine.

Learning from the past mistakes, as the exact number of missing persons and casualties were not reported after the flashfloods reported in June 2013, the state government had made it mandatory for pilgrims to register their names before undertaking the pilgrimage in the state.

The pilgrims can register their names at centres set up at Haridwar railway station, Rishikesh ISBT, Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, Rishikesh Janakichatti, Gangotri, Pandukeshwar, Gurdwara Govind Ghat, Fata, Sonprayag, Guptkashi, Kedarnath, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya parking a lot in Haridwar and Heena and Dobata in Uttarkashi. The centres will be open everyday from 7 am to 10 pm.

While giving details about the steps taken by the Tourism Department to ensure hassle-free pilgrimage, Shailesh Bagoli, Secretary (Tourism), said tourist information centres and registration counters had been increased this year to facilitate photometric registration system.

Chances were very bright that the number of pilgrims would increase in comparison to last year due to better facilities and improved infrastructure along the yatra route, he stated.