Despite measures being taken by the State Government, the inclement weather conditions and other factors have hampered the Char Dham Yatra in its initial stages. Though inclement weather has created hurdles in the pilgrimage to Gangotri and Yamunotri, the businessmen plying various trades along the routes to these two shrines are hoping that the arrival of pilgrims will rise once the summer vacations start in schools.
The portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri were opened for the public on April 21. Since then, the weather has not remained favourable in the State including rains and snowfall in the higher reaches intermittently.
Though the weather had remained clear while the portals of these two shrines were being reopened to the public, rain was experienced across Uttarkashi district on that very afternoon. The next day on April 22, the weather was clear in the morning but there was rain at both Gangotri and Yamunotri afternoon onward preventing pilgrims from either reaching these shrines or starting the return journey from the shrines on that day.
The rainy weather across the Char Dham Yatra circuit has created hurdles in the pilgrimage. The unseasonal rain and snowfall in the higher reaches have resulted in a drop in the mercury level. The rainy weather is also making some pilgrims hesitant to travel ahead towards the Char Dham shrines. The rains and resulting damage has made various stretches of the National Highway-108 to Gangotri and NH-94 to Yamunotri riskier for traffic.
Many pilgrims are presently avoiding the risk of travelling through stretches of roads made riskier by the rain. The local traders point out that though the inclement weather might be affecting the flow of pilgrims to the Char Dham shrines at present, they expect the numbers to pick up once the summer vacations begin in schools.