Kedarnath rescue teams on high alert as Char Dham rush breaks Badrinath records

Rescue and disaster response teams remain on round-the-clock alert in Kedarnath as the ongoing Char Dham Yatra witnesses an unprecedented surge in pilgrim footfall, with authorities intensifying medical and emergency operations to ensure devotees’ safety in the Himalayan region.

On Tuesday morning, two elderly pilgrims suffering health complications were rescued and airlifted from Kedarnath to higher medical centres in separate operations coordinated by the district administration, SDRF, DDRF and NDRF teams.

In the first incident, 66-year-old Arvind Kumar from Bihar’s Gaya district was shifted from Vivekananda Hospital to the Kedarnath helipad around 8:05 am after complaining of a fracture in his left arm.

Officials said a joint team of SDRF, DDRF and NDRF personnel carried out the evacuation before arranging helicopter services to transport him for advanced treatment.

In another rescue operation, 70-year-old Lalita from Maharashtra’s Latur district was rushed from the hospital to the helipad around 9:10 am after she reportedly suffered rapid heartbeat, breathing difficulty and fever.

Authorities swiftly coordinated with emergency teams to airlift her to a higher medical facility.

Officials said rescue personnel, medical teams and disaster response units have remained deployed throughout the pilgrimage route to handle emergencies amid the heavy influx of devotees undertaking the difficult mountain journey.

“Rescue and emergency response teams remain deployed round-the-clock to provide immediate assistance to pilgrims,” officials said.

Authorities have significantly strengthened medical preparedness and crowd management arrangements this year as lakhs of devotees continue to arrive at the Himalayan shrines.

Meanwhile, Badrinath Dham has recorded an unprecedented rise in pilgrim turnout this season.

According to officials, more than 5.56 lakh devotees have visited the temple within just one month of the opening of its gates, surpassing all previous records.

The scale of the rush became particularly visible over the last two days, with more than 60,000 pilgrims visiting the shrine.

Around 33,000 devotees offered prayers on Friday, while over 32,000 visited the temple on Saturday alone.

The previous highest one-month footfall at Badrinath was recorded in 2019, when nearly 5.50 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine. This year’s turnout has exceeded that figure after nearly six years.

In comparison, around 4.50 lakh devotees had visited Badrinath during the same period in 2023.

Officials described the massive turnout as a reflection of the deep faith associated with the Char Dham Yatra, considered one of Hinduism’s holiest pilgrimages.

The sacred yatra includes visits to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — four revered Himalayan shrines linked to major Hindu deities and natural elements.

Yamunotri is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, Gangotri to Goddess Ganga, Kedarnath to Lord Shiva and Badrinath to Lord Vishnu.

With IANS inputs