Punjab Newsline | Kullu
The proposed Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra 2026 has come under a cloud of uncertainty after an expert assessment raised serious safety concerns about a key section of the pilgrimage route. While the district administration has intensified preparations for the annual yatra scheduled for next month, experts have declared the Bheemdwari-to-Parvati Bagh stretch unsafe under current conditions.
The issue was discussed during a meeting of the Shrikhand Mahadev Trust held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Kullu Deputy Commissioner and Trust Chairman Anurag Chandra Sharma. The meeting reviewed arrangements for the pilgrimage, route safety, and logistical preparations. Himachal Pradesh Milkfed Chairman and Trust founding member Buddhi Singh Thakur, along with government and non-government members, attended the meeting virtually.
The Deputy Commissioner said a joint team comprising officials from the Revenue and Forest Departments and experts from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, had been constituted to assess the safety and feasibility of the pilgrimage route. The team conducted inspections on June 8 and June 18 and submitted its findings.
According to the report, the route between Bheemdwari and Parvati Bagh has been found to be extremely sensitive and hazardous in the present circumstances. Experts warned that the upcoming monsoon season could trigger landslides, falling rocks, sudden rises in water levels, flash floods, and debris flow along the route.
During the meeting, Ankush Kumar, a ski instructor, and Gopal Singh, a trekking guide from the mountaineering institute, stated that the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra cannot currently be considered safe and therefore cannot be recommended. They further noted that both the existing route and the proposed alternative route between Bheemdwari and Parvati Bagh remain unsafe at present.
The administration is expected to take a final decision on the pilgrimage after considering the expert recommendations and prevailing weather and terrain conditions.
