Heli darshan earnings at Kedar dip to Rs 3 cr in 2024-25 from Rs 10cr in 2023-’24

Dehradun: Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) had earned Rs 3.2 crore from helicopter service priority darshan in the 2024-25 yatra season at Kedarnath, a drop from Rs 10.6 crore earned in the previous financial year, revealed an RTI reply.The RTI query, filed by Noida-based activist Amit Gupta, sought details on the committee’s revenue sources and its expenditures. According to the reply, “Earnings from special pujas (paid services usually offered during morning and evening slots) rose from Rs 68,000 in 2020-21 to Rs 4.2 lakh in 2021-22, before jumping to Rs 7 crore in 2022-23, Rs 10.8 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 14.2 crore in 2024-25.”The total earnings at Kedarnath dham in 2024-25 went up to Rs 71 crore (with total expenses of Rs 66.4 crore), up from Rs 22 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 52.9 crore in 2023-24.

Investments also increased simultaneously.Despite steep increase in earnings, the tax payment to the govt remained nominal, with only Rs 57,961 paid in 2020-21, Rs 81,935 paid the next year, followed by Rs 85,594 in 2022-23, Rs 89,966 in 2023-24 and Rs 92,974 in 2024-25.Waste generation at the shrine has also been rising. According to data obtained from the Kedarnath nagar panchayat, a total of 21.4 metric tonnes of waste was generated in the 2025 season, of which only 8.7 MT was processed. Officials said the new STP built at Kedarnath will become operational from this season, thus reducing the amount of sewage discarded into the Mandakini river below.Also, the number of pilgrims at Kedarnath has been steadily rising, from 2.47 lakh in 2021 to 16.5 lakh last year. This season, the yatra is set to commence on Wednesday, with 23,017 registrations already done for opening day