Uttarakhand government will begin the Char Dham Yatra for residents of the state from July 1, Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Board Chief Executive officer said on Monday.
"Uttarakhand government will begin Char Dham Yatra for the residents of the state from July 1, following standard operating procedure (SOPs) issued by the government in view of COVID-19," the board said.
It said that people from containment zones and quarantine centres within the state will also not be allowed to take part in the pilgrimage.
The Chardham Yatra, which includes a visit to the Kedarnath temple, attracts lakhs of tourists and devotees every year from across the country and abroad.
The board had earlier postponed the Char Dham Yatra for devotees from outside the state till June 30, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Notably, the Char Dham Teerth Purohits had objected to commencement of the 'Char Dham Yatra' in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases.
( With inputs from ANI )