The annual Char Dham Yatra officially commenced on Saturday, April 18, 2026, with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagging off the first batch of pilgrims from the Rishikesh ISBT. The Chief Minister sent off 10 buses carrying devotees to the shrines of Yamunotri and Gangotri, where they are scheduled to witness the ceremonial opening of the temple portals (Kapat) on April 19.
Registration for the pilgrimage has seen a massive response, with 18.25 lakh devotees having already signed up through online and offline modes. For those preferring on-spot registration, offline counters were activated on Thursday in Rishikesh and Haridwar. Notably, the first group to register offline consisted of 100 pilgrims from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, who will be among the first to visit the twin shrines of Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Key Guidelines and Regulations for 2026
To ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) and the state administration have implemented several strict regulations:
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Entry Restrictions: A specific directive states that entry to the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples will be restricted to followers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain faiths. While the policy is in place, the committee has yet to release detailed operational instructions on its enforcement.
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Kedarnath Sanctum Protocol: Devotees are prohibited from offering flowers or Gangajal (holy water) inside the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha) of Kedarnath. Additionally, special pujas will no longer be conducted during the afternoon; instead, they will be scheduled between 11 PM and 4 AM.
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Traffic Management: To prioritize safety on hilly terrains, vehicle movement on the Yatra route is restricted to the window between 4 AM and 10 PM. The route has been divided into 16 Super Zones, with 118 parking facilities established to accommodate approximately 54,000 vehicles.
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Health Checks for Kedarnath: Medical screening points have been set up at Gaurikund. Elderly pilgrims and those with high blood pressure are strongly advised to undergo health checks before starting the steep trek to Kedarnath.
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Disaster Preparedness: The administration has identified 80 landslide-prone points where emergency teams are stationed. Furthermore, 48 halting points have been developed with a combined capacity to shelter 1.18 lakh people in case of natural calamities or blockages.
