DEHRADUN: To ensure safety of trekkers who arrive in large numbers every year to scale peaks in Uttarakhand, the state will hand out GPS-enabled wristbands to them so they can be traced in case of a mishap.
In a meeting with tourism officials on Thursday, chief secretary S S Sandhu directed the department to provide wristbands for mountaineers and trekkers so their location can be traced during search operations. Sandhu added that other necessary arrangements should also be made for their safety.
This comes just days after members of a Navy expedition team had gone missing on Mt Trishul. Four bodies were later retrieved. Many trekkers have gone missing in remote terrains in the past.
Sandhu added that Char Dham yatra provides seasonal tourism, but there is wide scope for off-season tourism as well. “It is important to work on connectivity too. Work should be done at the earliest on the construction of helipads and heliports,” he said.
The senior state officer said priority should be given to those areas where tourism has potential for development, but which are lagging behind due to connectivity. He said the facilities of water and toilets should be made available every 30km on travel routes for the convenience of travellers and the general public. The chief secretary also said an app and website should be prepared to provide tourism-related information to youngsters.
