Uttarakhand News: The tourist department has decided to remove the fees that Indian mountaineers are required to pay in an effort to encourage adventure tourism in the Himalayan state. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the forest department received the payment previously collected from them. Each year, hundreds of adventure sport enthusiasts from throughout the nation and the world travel to Uttrakhand to attempt to climb some of the most well-known and challenging peaks, including Nanda Devi, Panchachuli III, Trishul III, Mukut Parbat, Bhagirathi III, and Gangotri III. Many people also favour Chaukambha IV (routes 1 and 11), Satopanth, Shivling, Srikantha, Vasuki Parbat, Kamet, Hathi Parbat, Dunagiri, and Chaukambha.
New Cost Structure for Climbers in Uttarakhand
The IMF fee will now be paid by the tourism department, and the forest department has agreed to forego its portion of the amount. Recently, a formal order in this regard was made public. Indian mountaineers must pay Rs 3,000 whereas international climbers must spend Rs 20,000 to ascend a peak up to 6,500 metres. For summits between 6,500 and 7,000 metres, Indian climbers must pay Rs 4,000, while foreign climbers must pay Rs 25,000. The cost for climbers from India is Rs 6,000, while climbers from other countries must pay Rs 40,000.
Simplified Process for Indian Mountaineers in Uttarakhand
The cost structure for foreign visitors travelling to Uttarakhand for mountaineering has not changed. Indian mountaineers would still need to submit an application and obtain the necessary approval from the tourism department notwithstanding the fee reduction. The state forest agency had previously granted authorization, but in recent years, the tourism department has taken over that duty. Additional chief executive officer for adventure sports Col Ashwini Pundhir told TOI, “This was an important move to boost the adventure sports sector and we are confident that more sports enthusiasts would come to Uttarakhand.”
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