CHAMBA: Drawing lessons from last year’s devastating floods that triggered one of the largest rescue operations in the history of the pilgrimage, the Chamba district administration has introduced a series of safety measures for this year’s Manimahesh Yatra.
Mandatory online registration, daily pilgrim quotas, drone surveillance, and the closure of the traditional parikrama route via Kugti village are among the key steps taken to ensure a safer and better-managed pilgrimage.
The annual pilgrimage to the sacred Manimahesh Lake is scheduled to commence on August 25. Online registration and slot booking will open on August 1 through the official portal.
For the first time, the yatra will be regulated using an e-pass system, similar to the Amarnath Yatra. Initially, around 5,000 pilgrims will be permitted each day. This quota may be increased during Krishna Janmashtami and Radhashtami, depending on weather conditions, security arrangements, and the carrying capacity of the route.
The strict regulations follow an unprecedented disaster during last year’s yatra, when incessant rain triggered flash floods that washed away several stretches of the Chamba-Bharmour highway. The disaster left more than 15,000 pilgrims stranded, necessitating a massive rescue operation involving the Army, Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, and local volunteers.
Chamba Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal stated that mandatory registration and slot booking will help regulate pilgrim movement, prevent overcrowding, and enable a quicker response during emergencies. He added that strict compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines will be ensured, focusing on scientific waste disposal and curbing single-use plastic.
Bharmour Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vikas Sharma confirmed that the Kugti parikrama route will remain closed to pilgrims this year due to safety concerns. However, devotees approaching from the Lahaul-Spiti side, for whom the route holds immense religious significance, will be allowed to use it. Notably, 17 of the nearly two dozen deaths reported during last year’s yatra occurred on this specific route.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Manimahesh Yatra is one of North India’s most revered Himalayan pilgrimages. Devotees undertake a challenging 14-km trek from Hadsar to the 4,080-metre-high Manimahesh Lake, located in the Pir Panjal range.
