The Uttarakhand tourism department has planned few mandatory alcohol tests for people going on Chardham Yatra. The pilgrims visiting Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines for pilgrimage season 2017 will have to go through multiple alcohol tests.
The Yatra will begin with the opening of Gangotri Temple portals on April 28.
Besides, the pilgrims will also be issued an identity card that they need to carry throughout the yatra. As per the state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj, the move has been taken not just to uphold the sanctity of the pilgrimage but also to avoid unpleasant episode from happening en route the hills.
“Alcohol tests of pilgrims will be conducted at select points. The government will soon come up with a plan for its implementation,” Maharaj told Hindustan times.
“Preventing sanctity of pilgrimage shrines is fine but what about the right of people who want to consume liquor? What will be status of liquor shops on the pilgrimage routes? We will wait and watch how things shape up,” said Congress leader Surendra Kumar.
