Religious It is an important route for
Hindu pilgrims as it connects the national capital New Delhi with religious pilgrim centres, Haridwar and Rishikesh in the plains of
Uttarakhand, and then with the hill cities and temples of
Uttarakhand. The most important pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand is called
Chhota Char Dham (Four Pilgrimage Centres) comprising
Yamunotri (where
Yamuna river originates),
Gangotri (where
Ganga river originates),
Kedarnath temple and
Badrinath temple. The pilgrims visit Haridwar and Rishikesh in the plains the entire year but more so during the winter. The pilgrim season in the hills starts with melting of the snow at the end of April or in the beginning of May and continues until the onset of monsoon rains in late June. Buses and vehicles packed with pilgrims and tourists throng the highway during the summer months. The highway is packed with pilgrims and tourists during pilgrimage season or during important festivals. When pilgrims bring holy water from
Ganga river and carry it to their villages and homes walking on foot all the way during one fortnight, one lane of the highway is reserved for these pilgrims who walk on foot and vehicles have to use only one lane for about two weeks in a year. Tens of millions of pilgrims attending the
Kumbh Mela in January to March 2021 at Haridwar will use this highway extensively. More than 50 million devotees attended the last Kumbh Mela.
Strategic and military The highway connects with the border with
Tibet. It is built and maintained by
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of
Indian Army from Rishikesh, where the plains end and the mountains start, to its northernmost end. Earlier it was built only up to Chamoli and has over the years gradually been extended to
Joshimath,
Badrinath and finally to
Mana Pass near the border with Tibet. The army along with civilians living in Garhwal are its major user. CharDham yatra in summer is all thru this route. == Development ==