Pindari trail reopens for tourists, residents flag poor infra

Bageshwar: The Pindari Glacier trek, a three-day journey covering nearly 25km from Khati village in Bageshwar district, reopened for tourists on Wednesday, with the aim of boosting the region’s tourism-driven economy. The route is expected to draw visitors from India and abroad as the trekking season begins.However, local guides and residents voiced concerns over inadequate preparations and poor infrastructure. Guide Jeetu Danu said the approach roads and the trekking routes remain in poor condition while the govt rest houses run by Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) and public works department (PWD) require urgent maintenance. “Trekkers travel long distances to reach here. The least they expect is access to basic facilities, but even that is lacking,” he said.Residents of Khati village, the trek’s base, said the situation directly impacted their livelihoods. “Over 500 people here depend on tourism for their livelihood. From homestays and guest houses to guides, porters, horse and mule services, and trekking equipment rentals — everything revolves around tourism. Better facilities would bring more tourists and benefit the entire community,” said Kailash Danu, a resident. He added that the number of foreign tourists declined significantly since the 2013 disaster, affecting income sources in the village.He said the disaster also caused extensive damage to the nearby Kafni Glacier route, which remained closed after several years. “If a major trek like Kafni is yet to reopen, it raises serious questions about the pace of development and restoration work,” said Danu.Villagers also alleged that they continued to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the trek and claimed no authorities visited the route for inspection before its reopening this season.District tourism development officer PK Gautam said all necessary arrangements were in place to ensure a safe and well trekking experience. He said registration of trekkers would be carried out at Hichori and Jakuni centres, where forest personnel would be deployed round the clock.Divisional forest officer Aditya Ratna said strict measures have been introduced to maintain cleanliness in the eco-sensitive zone. “Trekkers will be required to carry back their plastic waste to ensure cleanliness in the area,” he said.Stakeholders expressed hope that authorities would address the concerns swiftly to ensure tourist safety and secure sustainable livelihoods for local communities.