Mussoorie, March 26 -- With over 870,000 pilgrims already registered online for the Char Dham Yatra starting April 19, the Uttarakhand government has intensified preparations to ensure a safe and seamless pilgrimage. According to Prajapati Nautiyal, officer on special duty, Char Dham Yatra administration, 877,014 pilgrims have registered so far. Kedarnath Dham leads with 293,979 registrations, followed by Badrinath at 259,033, Gangotri at 162,316, and Yamunotri at 158,502. Additionally, 3,184 pilgrims have signed up for the Hemkund Sahib shrine in Chamoli district. The high volume of early registrations has prompted authorities to bolster logistical and administrative arrangements across all Char Dham routes. Offline registration will begin on April 17 at designated centres, including Haridwar, Rishikesh Gurudwara, Naya Gaon, Herbertpur, and the Rishikesh transit camp. This will aid pilgrims unable to register online. District administrations along the yatra route have started groundwork to handle the expected influx. In Uttarkashi district, officials are streamlining services and ensuring compliance among local stakeholders ahead of the season. A special administrative camp took place at the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) complex in Barkot on Wednesday to fast-track registrations for hotels and homestays along the Yamunotri route. Business representatives from Jankichatti, Ranachatti, Syanachatti, Dobata, Barkot, and Naugaon attended, raising concerns over electricity, water supply, fire safety clearances, food safety certifications, and tourism department registrations. Officials from relevant departments carried out on-the-spot inspections and reviews to resolve grievances swiftly. Kamal Kishore Joshi, district tourism development officer, Uttarkashi, said the camp aimed to sensitise business owners about registration norms and documentation. "An initial fine of Rs.10,000 will be imposed on violators, followed by a penalty of Rs.1,000 per day for continued non-compliance," he added. Joshi said the administration seeks 100% registration of hospitality units to gauge Yamunotri Dham's carrying capacity-a key factor for crowd management and improving the pilgrimage experience amid rising visitor numbers. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a statement on Tuesday evening, described the Char Dham Yatra 2026 as a highly significant occasion for Uttarakhand and said the government is preparing on a war footing. He noted that all arrangements are being finalised for the pilgrimage starting April 19. Dhami said that "residents of Uttarakhand warmly welcome pilgrims arriving from across the country and around the world every year, and special efforts are being made to ensure that this year's yatra is smooth, safe, and well-organised". He added that "particular focus is being laid on strengthening roads, improving infrastructure, streamlining darshan arrangements, enhancing security management, and ensuring efficient transport services". Dhami directed officials to provide basic facilities, including drinking water, toilets, healthcare services, and traffic management, along the routes to prevent devotee inconvenience. Referring to last year's yatra, he noted that despite over one-and-a-half months of disruption from natural disasters, more than 5.1 million devotees visited the Char Dham shrines in 2025. He highlighted that over 800,000 pilgrims have already registered for 2026, with GMVN guest houses recording advance bookings worth more than Rs.5 crore. The CM said that the "state government is committed to ensuring that every pilgrim visiting Uttarakhand has a safe and comfortable experience". He stressed that providing a secure and pleasant pilgrimage is the government's responsibility, with officials instructed to stay vigilant and review arrangements regularly. Dhami said coordination is underway with stakeholders, including guest house operators, dhaba owners, taxi operators, and transport providers, for better services. The administration will share timely yatra information to aid planning, with continuous monitoring ordered. The CM plans to review preparations soon....