Rishikesh, September 12, 2026:
The Board meeting of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) was held on Saturday at the Transit Camp office auditorium in Rishikesh under the chairmanship of BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi.
The meeting formally began with prayers to Lord Badrivishal and Lord Kedarnath, followed by a welcome to the special invitees. The Board reviewed the compliance report of decisions taken in the previous meeting before taking up the agenda and reviewing arrangements for the ongoing Char Dham pilgrimage.
Gratitude to CM Dhami and Tourism Minister Maharaj
Addressing the meeting, BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi said the 2026 Char Dham Yatra, including the pilgrimages to Badrinath and Kedarnath, has been historic under the guidance of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj.
He expressed gratitude to the state government for the successful conduct of the first phase of the pilgrimage and said preparations are now being strengthened for the second phase of the yatra.
Dwivedi said that more than 5 million pilgrims have so far visited the Char Dham shrines, including Hemkund Sahib, while more than 3.2 million pilgrims have visited Badrinath and Kedarnath. More than 6 million registrations have been made for the Char Dham Yatra.
According to BKTC figures, 1,722,908 pilgrims have visited Badrinath Dham, while 1,492,047 pilgrims have visited Kedarnath Dham. The two shrines have generated revenue of more than Rs 76 crore so far.
Dwivedi said that around 20 per cent more pilgrims have visited the Char Dham compared to the previous year, with nearly two months still remaining before the closure of the shrine portals for the season.
Focus on Second Phase of Yatra
BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangar presented the agenda during the meeting. The Board discussed measures to further strengthen arrangements for the second phase of the pilgrimage.
Key proposals included modernising the BKTC website, strengthening CCTV surveillance at the major shrines and subordinate temples, improving transparency in the counting of offerings, and reviewing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the pilgrimage.
The Board also discussed the proposal to name the Sanskrit college located at Shonitpur in Guptkashi after late BKTC member Shrinivas Posti.
Temple Renovation and Development Projects
Several proposals related to the development and renovation of temples were also discussed and approved.
These included the second phase of renovation work at Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, renovation of Shri Tungnath Temple, and development of Shri Triyuginarayan Temple as a wedding destination.
The Board also discussed measures to seek assistance from subject experts for better crowd management at the pilgrimage centres.
Employee and Administrative Matters Discussed
The meeting also considered several issues concerning BKTC employees, including regularisation of temporary employees, equal pay for equal work, promotion of permanent employees and financial assistance for temporary employees who died prematurely.
The Board discussed providing a lump-sum amount to employees who complete their superannuation age without being regularised. Matters concerning Hak-Hakukdars, Dasturdars and Bajigars, including their applications and customary dues, were also taken up.
Other issues discussed included necessary amendments to the employee service rules and the opening of a Vedic-Sanskrit college.
Officials and Board Members Present
BKTC Vice Presidents Rishi Prasad Sati and Vijay Kaparwan, members Neelam Puri, Rajpal Singh Jadhaari, Mahendra Sharma, Dinesh Dobhal, Vineet Posti, Prahlad Pushpwan, Devi Prasad Daivali, Rajendra Dimri, Dheeraj Panchbhaiya Monu, Rakesh Bhandari, Kamla Bagwari, JP Semwal, Raj Kumar Tiwari and Rajneesh Bhatt were present at the meeting.
Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangar, Finance Controller Hem Kandpal, Executive Engineer Vipin Tiwari, Chief Administrative Officer Rajan Naithani, SS Bartwal, Nodal Officer Rakesh Semwal, Dr Harish Gaud, Atul Dimri, Sanjay Bhatt, Vishwanath and Deependra Rawat were also present.
