Almora (Uttarakhand) [India], May 1 (ANI): As the sacred Adi Kailash Yatra has started on Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state is fully prepared and all arrangements are in place for a smooth journey. Adi Kailash, located at an altitude of 5,945m in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, is often visited alongside Om Parvat.Calling the day 'auspicious', CM Dhami said, 'The pilgrimage to Adi Kailash and Parvati Kund also commenced today... Since the Prime Minister visited Adi Kailash, Parvati Kund, Gunji, Jageshwar Dham, and Pithoragarh in 2023, the number of visitors has increased manifold. Last year, more than 600,000 devotees visited Jageshwar Dham, and we expect that figure to rise this year. Similarly, Adi Kailash, which previously saw only a few hundred visitors annually, reached a record of over 40,000 people last year. Our Chardham Yatra is currently underway; in just 17 days, nearly 5,00,000 pilgrims have visited... We are improving infrastructure across all religious sites, including the Dola pilgrimage route, Jageshwar Dham, Bagnath, Purnagiri Maiya, and the shrines of Maa Barahi. We are striving to ensure every district's holy sites are equipped with modern amenities... our state is fully prepared and all arrangements are in place for a smooth journey.'

Speaking on the issues of road infrastructure, he said, 'Work is underway on that, and we're constantly striving to ensure good roads. This year, the weather has been a bit bad at times, and I've consistently directed that pothole-free roads be built everywhere. We're making all the necessary arrangements for the roads and other things.'

The Char Dham Yatra, one of the most significant religious pilgrimages in India, formally began on April 19 with rituals across multiple shrines. The annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath Temple commenced with the ceremonial departure of the Panchmukhi palanquin of Lord Kedarnath from its winter seat at Omkareshwar Temple. (ANI)