Yogi Adityanath reaches Kedarnath for portal closing event

DEHRADUN: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached Dehradun on Sunday to visit Kedarnath shrine. He will be staying night to attend portal closing ceremony of Kedarnath on Monday. 
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, who received Yogi at Jolly Grant Airport, said the two states can become an example of development and prosperity with their manpower and gifts that nature has bestowed upon model states for the whole country.

“Our relationship is like blood brothers and we can together become a model for the country with mutual cooperation. CM Yogi Adityanath has been highly helpful and cooperative when it comes to affairs of both the states.” Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000 as the  27th state of India.

The dates of closure of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri were announced last month. The portals of Gangotri shrine were closed on Sunday, while those of Kedarnath, Yamunotri on November 16 and Badrinath on November 19. 

“I thank honorable CM Rawat ji for such a warm welcome and reception. I am here to pay my homages to Baba Kedar and pray to bestow his blessings upon all of us,” said UP CM Adityanath. Till date more than 1.5 lakh devotees have visited the four shrines. The numbers are low due to Covid restrictions and 75-day stringent lockdown due to the epidemic. 

Earlier last month, the limit of per day visitors to Chardhams was increased. Limit to Badrinath and Kedarnath was increased to 3000 while 900 pilgrims allowed at Gangotri. The number of pilgrims visiting to Yamunotri daily had been fixed at 700.

The Uttarakhand government had also exempted pilgrims of producing Covid-19 negative test report to visit Chardham shrines. Last year, over 38 lakh pilgrims travelled to the four shrines of the hill state.