PrashantNews
The Uttarakhand government’s move to rope in a private company for carrying pilgrims from Gunji to Old Lipulekh mountain for Mount Kailash darshan has come under fire with Congress MLA Harish Dhami and state party President Karan Mehra deciding to hold dharna on the issue on Oct 15.
A small group of pilgrims went to the dizzying heights of Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand last week to witness the snowy Mount Kailash, considered as the revered abode of Lord Shiva. The Uttarakhand tourism department has conducted the first trip including Darshan of Mount Kailash, Adi Kailash and Om Parvat from the Indian soil under a new package. Due to travel restrictions, the Mansarovar yatra has been suspended since 2020.
The darshan of Mount Kailash was done from the Old Lipulekh mountain (18000 feet). The pilgrims paid homage to their revered deity Lord Shiva from Indian soil. The package includes helicopter tickets from Pithoragarh to Gunji and back with accommodation at KMVN guest houses or homestays.
The 4 nights/5 days package costs Rs. 80,000 per tourist including GST and bookings can be made on Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam website – kmvn.in.
Under the package, the helicopter will carry pilgrims to Gunji in Pithoragarh district. From Gunji, a private company hired by the state tourism department would take the pilgrims in vehicles to Old Lipulekh for darshan of Mount Kailash.
“We are opposing the government’s decision to give the job of ferrying pilgrims from Gunji to Old Lipulekh to a private company. We want locals to be given such job. The locals also have taxis which can easily carry these pilgrims to Old Lipulekh,” said Dhami, a Congress MLA from Dharchula.
Dhami said he would organize a dharna at Gunji on Oct 15 along with Mahra and other party leaders to lodge protest against the state government on the issue.
Dhami said the helicopters should not be allowed to fly beyond Dharchula. From Dharchula onward, the local taxi operators should be given the task to take pilgrim to Old Lipulekh, Dhami said. He said the locals from Dharchula to Gunji will be benefitted as they also have shops and homestay facilities there.