PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) chairman Hemant Dwivedi has clarified that those without belief in Sanatan Dharm will not be allowed to enter the premises or the Garbh Grah of the Char Dham. He further said that in order to maintain the sanctity of the Char Dham and prevent inconvenience to pilgrims, mobile phones, photography and making videos will be prohibited in the temple complex and sanctum sanctorum, as it is in other major Hindu shrines across India. Addressing the media here on Tuesday, Dwivedi said that barring the entry of non-Sanatanis is a tradition set by Adi Shankaracharya which is followed in many major temples across India. The decision to observe this in the Char Dham was taken in the BKTC meeting held on March 10 and the proposal has been sent to the State government. The entry restriction is limited to the temple premises and Garbh Grah and does not propose to bar movement and activity of non-Sanatanis in nearby areas, he said. Dwivedi further said that it has been noticed and devotees have also complained that social media users spend time and occupy space in the courtyards of Char Dham making reels and clicking photos, causing inconvenience to devotees. Considering this, the BKTC has decided to prohibit the use of mobile phones in the temple premises and Garbh Grah, along with prohibiting photography and videography in the area. The BKTC chief said that a budget of Rs 121 crore had been passed by the committee for the 2026-27 Yatra year. A provision of Rs 57.47 crore for Badrinath Dham and Rs 63.60 crore for Kedarnath Dham was passed in the meeting. He said that a camp office of the BKTC will be opened at Rishikesh transit camp to strengthen arrangements for the Yatra. A proposal to set up a Teerth Purohit Kalyan Kosh was also passed by the committee to take care of the interests of the Teerth Purohits, he said. Dwivedi further informed that more than six lakh persons had registered for the Yatra from March 6 to 16. These include 2,06,622 for Kedarnath, 1,82,212 for Badrinath, 1,15,763 for Gangotri and 1,13256 for Yamunotri.
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