Visiting Kedarnath or Hemkund Sahib? Get weather updates on official Char Dham Yatra app

The app will come in handy for pilgrims on Char Dham Yatra or visiting the Hemkund Sahib in Uttrakhand.

New Delhi: If you plan to visit Kedarnath or any other holy places in the Char Dham Yatra, you can now get real-time weather updates and alerts on the official app developed by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board. The app will also come in handy for pilgrims visiting the Hemkund Sahib in Uttrakhand’s Joshimath region. 

Every year, millions of pilgrims complete the Char Dham Yatra or visit popular religious places such as the Hemkund Sahib. However, the unruly weather in high altitude places of Uttrakhand has become a major challenge for pilgrims. The newly developed app will now help pilgrims in planning their travel. 

Pilgrims will receive weather updates from the meteorological department on the app. Weather-related alerts and other notifications related to the conditions of roads and risks will also be updated on the app. 

The 'Tourist Care System' mobile app developed by the state tourism board will aid pilgrims visiting Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, or the famous Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib, which is located near another popular tourist destination – the Valley of Flowers. 

Tourism Secretary Dilip Jawalkar said that once a user installs the app, the department will keep tracking their movements. 28 high definition cameras set up at 14 pre-identified points spread across the travel route will help the department in keeping a tab on the movements of travellers, Jawalkar added. 

Jawalkar also noted that the app will work only on Android phones. If users don’t have Android phones, pilgrims will be provided with a wristband that will be connected with a Tourist Care System App. Also Read: Big update from Google! You will soon be able to self-repair Pixel phones at home

The department will receive relevant information from the app or the wristband. The information will be processed 24×7 at a control room at the UTDB headquarters, Jawalkar was quoted as saying in a Mint report. Also Read: Vivo Y21G with 5,000 mAh battery, reverse charging feature launched in India: Price, specs