Kedarnath pilgrimage from May 4; 1,000 pilgrims to visit daily

There will be arrangements in place to airlift passengers in case of any emergency and in landslide prone areas enough vehicles and SDRF personnel will be deployed to evacuate stranded people.

Efforts are also being made on a war footing to repair and build the ‘char-dham route' well before the start of the annual pilgrimage.

The yatra this season is scheduled to begin on May 2 with the opening of the gates of Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines.

It will be followed by the opening of the portals of Kedarnath on May 4 and Badrinath on May 5.

Cautioning that there should be no politics over char-dham yatra which is central to the state's economy, Rawat asked political parties to rise above their organisational affiliations and give positive support to the state government in its efforts to conduct a smooth pilgrimage.