30,000 daily pilgrims choke Badrinath route; visitors stuck for hours
31 May 2026

Thousands of pilgrims traveling to Uttarakhand's sacred sites are stuck in massive traffic jams near Joshimath. Long queues of vehicles have been seen on the Badrinath National Highway (NH-7).

Reportedly, 30,000 to 35,000 pilgrims are traveling daily to Badrinath, leading to long periods of standstill.

In a bid to ease the situation, authorities have introduced special traffic management measures, including a token-based gate system.

The system is aimed at regulating movement and reducing congestion on this popular pilgrimage route.

One-way traffic regulation system introduced
Traffic management

Local police and district authorities have deployed extra personnel to manage the situation.

A one-way traffic regulation system has also been introduced, allowing vehicles to move in batches every 30 minutes.

This measure aims to ease congestion and improve safety on the narrow mountain roads leading to Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib.

Daily influx of pilgrims to Badrinath and Hemkund
Infrastructure pressure

Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar explained that around 30,000 to 35,000 pilgrims are traveling daily to Badrinath Dham. Another 5,000 to 10,000 are heading toward Hemkund Sahib.

This huge influx has put a lot of strain on the existing national and state highways.

The Joshimath-Marwari-Vishnuprayag stretch is particularly affected, with an approximate 10-kilometer section in very poor condition due to past ground subsidence events.

One-way traffic system implemented considering narrow terrain
Infrastructure damage

The natural ground subsidence in the Joshimath area has severely impacted road infrastructure. To tackle these challenges, authorities have implemented a one-way traffic system considering the narrow terrain.

A systematic gate system has been set up near Narsingh Temple in Joshimath, allowing devotees to stop and visit while waiting for their turn.

This current traffic plan is reportedly functioning very effectively on the ground.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation
Ongoing monitoring

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and regulating vehicle movement as large numbers of devotees travel to these Himalayan pilgrimage destinations.

The ongoing yatra season has seen a huge number of visitors, putting further pressure on already strained infrastructure.

Despite these challenges, efforts are being made to ensure that journeys aren't completely halted during this busy period.