Dehradun: Despite the high court’s order against holding Char Dham yatra this year, the Uttarakhand government has issued fresh Covid guidelines for the yatra as it decided to start the first phase of the pilgrimage from July 1 and the second from July 11.
The state government’s guidelines for the pilgrimage dictate a mandatory negative Covid test report for those undertaking the yatra. The standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the pilgrimage have been issued for the residents of Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi.
While residents of Rudraprayag will be allowed to visit the pilgrimage site — Kedarnath, locals from Chamoli district are permitted to undertake yatra of Badrinath. The residents of Uttarkashi will be allowed to visit Yamunotri and Gangotri in the first phase.
In the second phase, all the residents of the state will be permitted to take part in the yatra.
In view of COVID-19 and poor health preparedness, the decision of the government was put on hold by the High court.
The court asked the government to file the affidavit again by July 7.
The state High Court on Monday had stayed the state Cabinet’s decision permitting Char Dham yatra with a limited number of pilgrims and had also ordered live streaming of Char Dham shrines.
