Direct chopper service to Manimahesh lake during yatra this year

The pilgrims undertaking Manimahesh yatra this year would be able to directly fly to the Manimahesh Lake as the tourism department is constructing a helipad near the lake.

Lakhs of tourist undertake arduous 13-km journey during the annual pilgrimage held in August/September to the glacier-fed, oval-shaped lake located at an altitude of 13,390-foot above the mean sea level in the Budhil valley.

The yatra starts from base camp Harsar coinciding with the festival of Janmashtami and ends on Radha Ashtmi.

For those who can’t walk, helicopter services are available from sub-divisional headquarters Bharmour to Gaurikund, around 1 km from the lake. If helipad is completed in time, devotees will reach the lake directly from Bharmour via air in just eight minutes.

PWD Executive Engineer Sanjeev Mahajan said a grant of ₹50 lakh had been released by the tourism department for the construction of the helipad.

He said that the land identified for the helipad was being leveled and the target was to complete the work before the Yatra commences in August.

For the first time, devotees would get the facility of a chopper ride from Bharmour directly to Manimahesh Lake and two helicopters would be engaged for the service, he said.

DC Rana, Chamba deputy commissioner, said every effort would be made to complete the work before the yatra so that the devotees could benefit.

Last year, about 2.5 lakh devotees took the holy dip in the sacred Maimahesh Lake during the Yatra held from August 19 to September 3. Two private heli-taxi operators engaged by the administration had ferried over 8,800 pilgrims.