Strict Safety Protocols Essential for Future Pilgrimages: Negi

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Thursday emphasized that the recent rainfall disaster in Chamba has highlighted the urgent need for stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all future religious pilgrimages in Himachal Pradesh.

Addressing the media, Negi stated that the government is committed to ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated and that pilgrimages are conducted in a safer and more organized manner. He suggested that small tunnels should be constructed in landslide-prone stretches to bypass vulnerable road sections, robust crash barriers should be installed along highways, and health and safety infrastructure on pilgrimage routes must be strengthened.

The minister further explained that the government will develop comprehensive guidelines taking into account environmental concerns, local traditions, and the safety of pilgrims. The Chief Minister has directed officials to draft the SOP in consultation with experts, local communities, and religious bodies, while exploring long-term solutions.

Negi also addressed misinformation circulating on social media, where some individuals and platforms claimed that thousands of people had died in Chamba and Bharmaur and that the government had deliberately shut down mobile and internet services. He clarified that over 15,000 stranded pilgrims from Bharmaur and Manimahesh had been safely evacuated and transported to Pathankot and Kangra using more than 165 HRTC buses. Additionally, the Indian Air Force deployed helicopters to airlift the elderly, injured, and women to safety.