KMVN gets five batches of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Lipulekh pass route
KMVN gets five batches of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Lipulekh pass route
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, April 23
Although resumption of Kailash Mansarowar Yatra, has become possible from this year, after a break of five years from two routes of Lipulekh and Nathu La, the request of Kumoan Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the traditional nodal agency for yatra from Lipulekh pass, to be allowed 18 batches of pilgrims, was disapproved, by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The KMVN was given 5 batches for this year’s yatra from Lipulekh pass while Nathu Lha will get all 10 batches as it had previously. “It is good that Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed and we hope from next year we will get more batches of tourists,” said Nigam MD.
According to the decision taken by MEA at a meeting, the Yatra this year will begin from June 30 this year and only 5 batches of pilgrims comprising 50 tourists each will be allowed from Lipulekh pass.
The much awaited meeting to resume KM yatra from this year, was called by director east Asia section of MEA at New Delhi on April 21. The meeting was attained by besides the nodal agency, representative of government of Sikkim, NIC,BRO,ITBP, Army and Pithoragarh district administration.
“The cost of travel per pilgrims is yet to be finalised. We have sought a cost of Rs. 65000 per Yatri while the MEA wants it at Rs 56000 only,” said the KMVN officer
This year the KM yatra will be from Tanakpur route in place of from Kathgodam route as used to be in past, as road travel from Tanakpur way is much comfortable after construction of Tanakpur-Pithoragarh highway,” said the Nigam officer.
“By this way, we could cover almost entire Kumaon region as the batches will go from Tanakpur -Pithoragarh Dharchula way and return from Dharchula- Didihat Chaukori, Patal Bhuvneswr, Almora and Kainchi Dham route,” said the Nigam MD
KMVN has started preparations for this year’s yatra. “We have sent a team to take stock of the route, soon calling transport tenders and updating basic facilities at our camps to Lipulekh and return camps,” said the KMVN officer
Kailash Mansarowar Yatra, one of the oldest pilgrimage of the world by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon followers of western Tibet, that supposedly running from last 2000 years, had remained closed from 19 years after Sino -Indian border conflict in 1962 and was resumed from the year 1981 to be suspended again from 2020 due to Corona epidemic.”The yatra from Lipulekh pass has gone easy now after construction of Road to Lipulekh in the year 2020, ” said the Nigam MD.
