Uttarakhand to ban mobile phones, cameras inside Char Dham temples from 2026 yatra season

Uttarakhand has announced a complete ban on carrying mobile phones and cameras inside the premises of all four Char Dham temples from the upcoming pilgrimage season, expected to begin in April 2026.

The decision aims to preserve the sanctity of the pilgrimage and ensure smoother darshan arrangements, after authorities observed that photography and videography inside temple premises caused crowding and disruptions during the previous season.

Under the new rules, pilgrims will be allowed to take photographs only at designated points outside the temples. At Badrinath, mobile phones and cameras will not be permitted beyond Singh Dwar, while similar restrictions will apply at Kedarnath and the other Dhams.

To assist devotees, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been directed to set up cloakroom facilities at temple premises, allowing pilgrims to safely deposit their devices before entering for darshan and collect them upon exit. Authorities said the ban will be strictly enforced.

Officials noted that more than 50 lakh devotees undertook the Char Dham Yatra last year, and preparations are underway to make the 2026 pilgrimage safer and more efficient. District administrations along the yatra routes have been instructed to fast-track essential infrastructure work, while agencies including National Highways Authority of India and the Public Works Department have been asked to prioritise clearing debris and repairing damaged stretches caused by heavy rainfall.

Round-the-clock arrangements for drinking water, medical facilities, transport, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications, helicopter services and disaster management are also being planned across all four Dhams and key routes ahead of the pilgrimage season.