Rs 1 lakh insurance cover for pilgrims on Char Dham yatra

Dehradun: In response to the rising toll of 53 pilgrim deaths since the start of this year’s Char Dham yatra in April, Uttarakhand tourism and culture minister Satpal Maharaj on Saturday announced a Rs 1 lakh insurance cover for all devotees visiting the four revered Himalayan shrines.The accident insurance cover, being provided through Maharaj’s foundation, Manav Utthan Seva Samiti, will apply to pilgrims visiting Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. A total insurance pool of Rs 10 crore has been created, with Rs 2.5 crore allocated for each shrine.A premium cheque of Rs 3,67,995 was handed over to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami by Maharaj on Saturday.Officials said the insurance cover would apply to both natural and accidental deaths, including fatalities caused by cardiac arrest, stampedes, natural disasters and terrorist incidents. An FIR would have to be registered following the death of a pilgrim for the family to claim the insured amount, Maharaj said.According to the State Emergency Operation Centre’s data provided on Sunday, 28 pilgrims died on the Kedarnath route, followed by 10 in Badrinath, eight in Yamunotri and seven on the route to Gangotri. So far, around 14.8 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrines, including nearly six lakh at Kedarnath, 3.8 lakh at Badrinath and around 2.4 lakh each at Yamunotri and Gangotri.The insurance scheme was first introduced in 2022 and is again being facilitated this year by United India Insurance Company. Experts said the pilgrimage involves difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions, including low oxygen levels, long trekking routes, sudden weather changes and extreme cold. During the monsoon, risks increase further due to landslides, mudslides and road accidents in geologically sensitive stretches along the yatra route.The Uttarakhand health department, before the onset of the yatra, had issued advisories asking pilgrims to undergo health check-ups and follow fitness guidelines before undertaking the high-altitude pilgrimage. People with serious comorbidities have been advised to avoid the yatra if their health condition does not permit travel.