Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) for the first time is all set to introduce surface transport facility on the trekking route between Gunji and Kalapani on the Himalayan landscape in Pithoragarh, en route the Kailash Mansarovar to ease inconvenience to the pilgrims.
Mention worthy, it is a tough and on-foot journey from Naryan Ashram to Nabhidhang on the Himalayan landscape in Pithoragarh to reach lipu Pass (Kailash Mansarovar). But this year road has been made between Gunji and Kalapani (about 3600 mt from sea level). This is an attempt on part of the KMVN that deals with hospitality aspects of the aforesaid pilgrimage to shorten the on- foot journey along the Himalayas by introducing surface transport on the around 20 km stretch between Gunji and Kalapani.
We are planning to ply medium mode vehicles to facilitate transport service from Gunji to Kalapani, said Dhiraj Singh Garbyal, MD, KMVN. “Everything is in place to introduce the road transport facility in this high altitude region. We are seeking help of the air force to transport some medium mode vehicles like jeep to base camp Gunji. We are now waiting air force’s response in this regard. Hopefully, the matter would be worked out soon,” he added.
The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage is beginning as usual from June 12 this year and KMVN has made all the preparations, including up-gradation of accommodation facilities, along the Kailash Mansarovar route, said Garbyal.
With KMVN looking after hospitality aspect of this pilgrimage, the pilgrims coming from different States will also have an opportunity to relish different Kumaoni cuisines during their Himalayan sojourn, the officials concerned of the KMVN said.
Interestingly, though a new route to Tibet via Nathu-la Pass for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage has also been opened from this year, enthusiasm among the devotees to go to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage through the old Uttarakhand route is huge, the officials maintained.
As many as 18 batches - 60 pilgrims in each batch- would be able to go on the holy Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage this year too like last year through this traditional route of Uttarakhand.
It may be recalled that earlier only 16 batches of pilgrims used to go on this annual holy Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. But from 2013 onwards, the number of batches of pilgrims had been raised up to 18, keeping in view the popular demand.
More so, schedule of beginning of this aforesaid holy pilgrimage via Uttarakhand will also remain the same - June 12. Earlier the pilgrimage used to commence from New Delhi on June 1. But from 2013, the timing of the said holy pilgrimage had been rescheduled, making it June 12 via the old Uttarakhand route.
Its worth mentioning, as per the traditional route of Uttarakhand, the said pilgrimage starts from New Delhi and covers different hill tourist destinations like Almora, Dharchula, Narayan Ashram, Sirkha, Gala, Bundi, Gunji, Nabhidhang and lipupass on way to the consummation of the pilgrimage at the holy shrine of Kailash Mansarovar.