Dehradun, May 4 -- Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday expressed hope that this year's Char Dham yatra will break all previous records and set a new benchmark in terms of footfall. Dhami made the statement while participating in an inauguration ceremony of the Char Dham yatra organised by Joint Rotation Travel Arrangement Committee at Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Rishikesh. Dhami welcomed the pilgrims embarking on the Chardham Yatra and flagged off 10 buses carrying devotees to the sacred shrines on the occasion. Dhami said the state government is committed to ensuring a safe yatra. "The yatra preparations are being regularly reviewed at every level. The government aims for every devotee to return home with good memories and a fulfilling experience. I hope the yatra logs record footfall this year," he said. He said that lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad visit Uttarakhand every year which generates employment opportunities for locals. He assured that all necessary facilities are being provided to ensure a smooth pilgrimage and appealed pilgrims and tourists to help the state government preserve the sanctity and cleanliness of Devbhoomi. "The state government is laying special focus on cleanliness and eco-friendly practices during the Chardham yatra," he said. Dhami said under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, a rapid progress has been made in the reconstruction of Kedarnath and implementation of the master plan for Badrinath. "Once the ropeway from Gaurikund to Kedarnath is completed, the journey will become even more accessible," he said. He said that the all weather road project has significantly reduced travel time between Rishikesh and the Chardham sites compared to earlier. Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal, Rishikesh MLA Prem Chand Aggarwal, Rishikesh Mayor Shambhu Paswan were also present on the occasion. Last year, 4.8 million pilgrims visited Char Dham shrines and Hemkund Sahib shrine since the opening of the portals on May 10. Out of 4.8 million pilgrims who visited Char Dham shrines, 1.42 million visited Badrinath, 183722 visited Hemkund Sahib, 1.65 million visited Kedarnath, 0.81 million visited Gangotri Dham and 0.71 million visited Yamunotri Dham. In 2023, Char Dham yatra broke all previous records with pilgrim influx crossing the 5.6 million mark, according to tourism department officials. HT last month carried a news report highlighting the suggestions of the IIM Rohtak's report on carrying capacity for Char Dham yatra. The report submitted to the state government in July last year, accessed by HT through Right to Information (RTI), said the Kedarnath Dham, most visited among the four revered shrines, can only accommodate 17,894 pilgrims each day, Badrinath Dham 15,088, Gangotri Dham 9,016, and Yamunotri Dham 7,871....