As the number of visitors to Uttarakhand’s revered Char Dham shrines Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri continues to rise each year, a new study has cautioned that these fragile Himalayan sites can sustain only a limited number of tourists per day to prevent ecological damage.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports the study estimates the maximum sustainable daily visitor capacity at 15,778 for Badrinath, 13,111 for Kedarnath, 8,178 for Gangotri, and 6,160 for Yamunotri provided the government implements strict sustainability measures such as proper waste management, restricting vehicle access, and developing eco-friendly infrastructure.
The researchers from institutions including the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, recommend that the government promote nearby alternative tourist destinations to reduce pressure on the main Char Dham routes.
The Char Dham situated in the higher reaches of the Himalayas at the base of glaciers draw lakhs of pilgrims each year. In 2019 alone, the four shrines received nearly 35 lakh visitors, according to government data. To support this growing influx, large-scale infrastructure projects like the Char Dham Road Project have been initiated, aimed at improving connectivity through new roads and widened highways.
However, environmentalists have repeatedly voiced concerns about the ecological impact of such projects on the region’s fragile terrain. Deforestation, loss of slope stability, and changing land use patterns have already increased the risk of natural disasters. In August this year, a massive landslide near Dharali village, en route to Gangotri, claimed several lives and left many missing a tragic reminder of the region’s vulnerability.
The study also evaluated ten environmental indices, including slope, vegetation cover, and snow area changes, to determine the eco-tourism potential of these areas. It found that regions above 4,200 metres and areas with steep slopes are less suitable for tourism. Sites at lower altitudes and gentler slopes were deemed safer for eco-tourism activities, though the researchers emphasized maintaining at least a 100-metre buffer from valley bases.
The findings also revealed a worrying trend: between 2002 and 2020, snow cover across all four shrine regions has significantly declined. The Gangotri glacier showed the steepest retreat at 22.36 metres per year, followed by Yamunotri (20 m), Badrinath (17.32 m), and Kedarnath (14.14 m).
The study concludes that only limited areas about 167 sq km near Gangotri and Yamunotri, 145 sq km near Kedarnath, and 100 sq km near Badrinath are suitable for sustainable tourism development.
Researchers warn that without managing visitor numbers and adopting eco-sensitive planning, unchecked tourism could accelerate glacial retreat trigger more frequent landslides, and permanently damage the delicate Himalayan ecosystem that sustains the Char Dham shrines.