Uttarakhand officials on Tuesday announced that a mandatory registration system will be imposed on all pilgrims heading to Kainchi Dham in Nainital.
The plan mirrors the Char Dham Yatra model, which has successfully reduced congestion at Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Kedarnath by capping daily visitor counts.
Under the new scheme, pilgrims must register online before arrival, and their hotel or guesthouse bookings will be verified by the District Magistrate’s office. The registration data will feed into a real‑time traffic and parking dashboard, while the state’s transport department will deploy dedicated shuttle buses from key junctions. Separate entry and exit gates are slated for the temple premises, ensuring a one‑way flow that the administration says will cut traffic jams by up to half.
Commissioner Deepak Rawat said, "Unplanned arrivals have turned our roads into bottlenecks. By making booking mandatory, we can anticipate traffic and deploy resources accordingly." The Senior Superintendent of Police will audit shopkeepers’ rate lists, and any evidence of overcharging or illegal bike‑taxis will trigger immediate penalties.
A final report, incorporating police and transport inputs, will be presented to the state government next week. If approved, the registration system is expected to launch with the upcoming pilgrimage season, with a pilot phase in the first month.