1010 buses to ply in Char Dham Yatra route this season

Dehradun, Apr 11 (UNI) Anticipating a 15 to 25 percent rise in the number of pilgrims to the 'Char Dhams' this year, an organisation of transporters has decided to increase the number of buses on these routes to over 1000.

''Buses have already been selected on the lottery basis yesterday,'' Shiv Singh Gussain, the president of ''Samyukt Rotation Yatayat Vyavastha,'' comprising nine nine transport companies that ply buses in the yatra routes to Char Dhams (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri) said.

Additional buses would also be kept in reserve to meet the extra demands, he added.

The Char Dham Yatra would begin from April 19 when kapats (doors) of Gangotri and Yamunotri would open, while the door of Kedarnath would open on April 30 and that of Badrinath on May 1. The State Government has set April 15 as the deadline to complete preparation for the Yatra.

In all, more than 10,000 devotees visited the Char Dhams in the last season, more than the 7,000 in 2005.

UNI