There has been a considerable rise in number of people reaching Kedarnath these days these days. Considering the rush of visitors to Kedarnath, the temple committee had to prolong the Darshan time for pilgrims and the VIP system of approach to the temple. The shrine portals are kept open for 18 hours instead of 11 hours right from early morning 4 AM to 11 PM. For worshipping and Prasad offering to the deity, temple gates are closed only from 4 PM to 5 PM. After this, from 5 PM to 11 in the night pilgrims are allowed to have darshan of lord Kedarnath.
According to NP Jamloki of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, seeing the phenomenal rush of pilgrims, the timing for the darshan has been extended. As per the sources, since May 9 when the shrine was reopened to the public this year, more than 3.5 lakh pilgrims have visited Kedarnath while the number of pilgrims last year in one month after reopening of the shrine was about 1.5 lakh. Despite difficult weather conditions, pilgrims are travelling toKedarnath in considerable numbers.
A pilgrim to Kedarnath, Poonam Wadhwa told this correspondent that the helicopter flights to Kedarnath are being conducted from helipads at Phata, Guptkashi, Gaurikund and other places. There is waiting queue for even up to eight hours to avail these chopper services. The trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath is about 18 kilometre which is stony and rugged passing through dificult terrain uphill. Most of the pilgrims pay for mule rides to reach the shrine. Last year 6,95,934 pilgrims reached Kedarnath and seeing this year's footfall it is estimated that a much larger number of pilgrims shall be reaching the shrine this time, say the observers.