Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee Sees Sharp Decline in Helicopter Darshan Revenue
In a significant development, the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has reported a substantial drop in earnings from helicopter service priority darshan at the revered Kedarnath shrine during the 2024-25 yatra season. According to an RTI reply, the committee earned Rs 3.2 crore from this service, a stark decrease from the Rs 10.6 crore generated in the previous financial year.
RTI Query Unveils Detailed Financial Trends
The RTI query, filed by Noida-based activist Amit Gupta, sought comprehensive details on the committee's revenue sources and expenditures. The response highlighted a contrasting trend in earnings from special pujas, which are paid services typically offered during morning and evening slots. Revenue from these pujas has seen a remarkable surge, rising from a modest Rs 68,000 in 2020-21 to Rs 4.2 lakh in 2021-22. It then skyrocketed to Rs 7 crore in 2022-23, further climbing to Rs 10.8 crore in 2023-24 and reaching an impressive Rs 14.2 crore in the 2024-25 season.
Overall Temple Earnings and Tax Payments
The total earnings at Kedarnath dham in 2024-25 escalated to Rs 71 crore, with total expenses recorded at Rs 66.4 crore. This marks a consistent upward trajectory from Rs 22 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 52.9 crore in 2023-24, accompanied by simultaneous increases in investments. Despite this steep rise in overall revenue, tax payments to the government have remained notably low. The data shows payments of only Rs 57,961 in 2020-21, Rs 81,935 the following year, Rs 85,594 in 2022-23, Rs 89,966 in 2023-24, and Rs 92,974 in 2024-25.
Environmental and Pilgrimage Challenges
Waste generation at the Kedarnath shrine has also been on the rise, posing environmental concerns. According to data obtained from the Kedarnath nagar panchayat, a total of 21.4 metric tonnes of waste was generated during the 2025 season, with only 8.7 MT processed. Officials have indicated that a new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) built at Kedarnath will become operational from this season, aiming to reduce the amount of sewage discarded into the Mandakini river below.
Concurrently, the number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath has been steadily increasing, 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 completed for the opening day, signaling continued high demand despite the revenue fluctuations in specific services.
