India, Feb. 3 -- Uttarakhand has opened 83 major Himalayan peaks across the Garhwal and Kumaon regions for mountaineering expeditions, a move aimed at placing the state firmly on the global climbing map. The decision, taken on the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and implemented by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council (UTDB) in coordination with the forest department, is expected to expand high-altitude tourism and generate local employment, officials said.

According to officials, the newly opened peaks range from 5,700 metres to 7,756 metres in height and include some of the most renowned and technically challenging summits in the Indian Himalayas, such as Kamet (7,756m), Nanda Devi East, the Chaukhamba group, Tri...