Uttarakhand: Kainchi Dham May Cap Daily Visitors At 25,000, Plan Online Registration To Ease Traffic Congestion

Nainital, October 13, 2026: The Nainital district administration has proposed limiting the number of visitors to Kainchi Dham, the popular Neem Karoli Baba shrine in Uttarakhand, to 20,000-25,000 a day. The move aims to control the growing crowds at the temple and reduce traffic congestion on roads connecting the shrine to nearby towns.

Under the proposed system, devotees will have to register online before visiting the shrine, similar to the registration process followed for the Char Dham pilgrimage. Once the daily limit is reached, the portal will stop accepting registrations. Currently, visitors can enter Kainchi Dham without registering in advance.

Sharp Rise In Devotee Footfall

The proposal comes amid a significant increase in the number of people visiting the shrine. According to figures reported by The Indian Express, Kainchi Dham received 24.34 lakh visitors in the first six months of 2026, compared with around eight lakh during the entire previous year.

The administration usually expects around 25,000 visitors daily. However, during the long weekend beginning October 2, the number crossed 35,000 a day, causing heavy traffic congestion on roads connecting Kainchi with Bhowali, Bhimtal and Mukteshwar. The sharp increase highlights the need for better crowd management, particularly during weekends and holidays.

Online Registration To Control Crowds

The proposed registration system will help officials estimate how many devotees are expected to visit the shrine on a particular day. It will also allow the administration to regulate the flow of visitors when the number approaches the daily limit, The Indian Express reports.

According to official sources quoted by The Indian Express, the plan is to register around 20,000-25,000 visitors each day and close the portal once that number is reached. The system is expected to take about a month to develop after receiving government approval. Authorities plan to test its implementation during weekends before extending it to other periods when visitor numbers are high.

Alternative Routes To Ease Traffic

The issue was also discussed at a meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta on Saturday. Apart from the registration proposal, officials discussed the need to develop alternative routes to prevent traffic jams around the shrine.

Tamta, who represents Almora-Pithoragarh in the Lok Sabha, raised concerns about the difficulties faced by residents and travellers heading towards Almora, Ranikhet and Kausani. He stressed the need to ensure that people travelling to these destinations are not stranded because of congestion near Kainchi Dham.

Ratighat Bypass Could Bring Relief

One of the major measures under consideration is the 18-km Ratighat bypass, which is expected to provide an alternative route towards Almora, Ranikhet and Kausani. The bypass could reduce the number of vehicles passing through the Kainchi Dham stretch and make travel easier for local residents and commuters.

According to Lalit Mohan Rayal, the Forest Department has already granted the required permission for the bypass. Around 8 km of the road has been surfaced, while work on the remaining 10 km is pending. The state government is considering an estimate of ₹21 crore to complete the surfacing work. If the proposal is approved, the bypass could become operational within four to six months.

Temple May Open Two Hours Earlier

The administration is also considering changing the temple’s opening hours to manage the growing number of devotees. One proposal is to open the shrine at 4 am instead of the current 6 am, giving visitors more time to offer prayers.

However, any change in timings will require discussions with the temple committee, which plays a role in deciding the shrine’s opening hours and religious rituals. Officials will have to ensure that the proposed changes help manage crowds without disrupting the temple’s existing practices.

Balancing Devotees’ Needs And Local Travel

The proposed measures reflect the challenge of managing the shrine’s growing popularity while keeping nearby roads accessible to residents and other travellers. Although online registration could help regulate crowds, its implementation will need careful planning to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to devotees.

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Officials have emphasised that crowd management measures must balance the needs of pilgrims, local residents and commuters. The registration system, revised temple timings and Ratighat bypass are all aimed at improving movement around Kainchi Dham, but their effectiveness will depend on government approvals and implementation.

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