Drones at service for Char Dham yatra

Following a sharp spike in deaths along the Kedarnath pilgrimage route last year, the Union health ministry has decided to enhance health and emergency services along the Char Dham route with a network of ambulances, stroke vans, and drones carrying emergency medicines.

The Char Dham annual pilgrimage that draws lakhs of tourists to Uttarakhand in each summer involves visiting four shrines in Garhwal Himalayas – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri – each located at an altitude of more than 10,000 ft.

The deaths during the Kedarnath pilgrimage visit in 2022 – opened after a two year Covid-break – showed an unusual rise leading to 120 deaths in just 27 days.