PM Modi pitches for round the year tourism in Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Mukhwa-Harsil, in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Youtube@NarendraModi

Making a strong pitch for round the year tourism in Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (March 6, 2025) said there should be no off-season in the picturesque hill State and this would strengthen the State’s economy in a big way.

Addressing a rally in Harsil after offering prayers at the village of Mukhwa, the winter abode of Goddess Ganga in Uttarkashi district, the Prime Minister said visitors will get the true flavour of Uttarakhand if they come to the State in the winter.

“The government’s vision of round the year tourism will strengthen the economy and create jobs for the youth,” PM Modi said.

In this screenshot image taken from @NarendraModi via Youtube on Thursday, March 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, at Harsil in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand .

“We want border areas to reap the benefits of tourism,” Mr. Modi added.

Some villages were evacuated during the 1962 war with China and efforts are being made to rehabilitate them, Prime Minister Modi said.

Mr. Modi also referred to the two ropeway projects approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday (March 5) — Sonprayag to Kedarnath and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji — and said they would reduce travel time to 30 minutes.

There should be no off-season for tourism: PM

Praising the Dhami-led State government for its 12-month tourism vision, Mr. Modi stressed the need for a “360-degree approach to tourism” to create employment opportunities for the local youth throughout the year.

Tourism should be on in all seasons, there should be no off-season, the Prime Minister said.

Mr. Modi said he feels blessed to visit Goddess Ganga’s winter abode in Mukhwa. “I think Maa Ganga has adopted me. It is her blessings that took me to Kashi and gave me an opportunity to serve the people,” he said.

He also expressed grief at the death of eight workers in the recent avalanche at a Border Roads Organisation camp in Chamoli district’s Mana village.

The Prime Minister flagged off a trek and bike journey to the predominantly tribal village of Jadung from Harshil and said it is to help the border areas of Uttarakhand reap the benefits of tourism.

“We haven’t forgotten that border villages were evacuated during the 1962 India-China war and efforts are being made to turn them habitable,” he said at the public meeting in Harsil.

Speaking of the two major ropeway projects cleared for the State by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by him, Mr. Modi said the ropeway to Kedarnath will reduce the eight-nine hour journey to just 30 minutes.

The CCEA had a few days ago approved two major ropeway projects to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib worth over ₹6,000 crore. In a bid to promote religious tourism and boost the local economy, the Uttarakhand government has initiated a Winter Tourism programme this year.

Appeal to couples, filmmakers

Mr. Modi appealed to people to make Uttarakhand their destination for weddings and asked filmmakers to shoot their movies in the hill State which has been adjudged the most film-friendly.

Vloggers and social media influencers should make short films on winter tourism destinations in Uttarakhand and the best works should be rewarded, the prime minister said, adding it will go a long way in promoting winter tourism in the state.

Before reaching Harsil, Mr. Modi offered prayers at Mukhwa temple — the winter abode of Goddess Ganga in Uttarkashi district — amid chanting of Vedic hymns by the priests.

The locals, dressed in traditional attire, accorded a warm welcome to the Prime Minister through a dance performance circling him as Mr. Modi stood in the middle with folded hands. He also enjoyed the morning view of the distant snowclad peaks surrounding the area.

Mukhwa is located on the way to the Gangotri temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga. Her idol is moved to Mukhwa temple from Gangotri Dham every year after the closure of its gates for winter.

This was Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to Uttarakhand this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami upon his arrival at Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on March 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended a warm welcome to the Prime Minister in a post on X.

“A hearty welcome and greetings to the prime minister on his visit to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, the sacred land of religion, spiritualism and sacrifice. Residents of the state are excited to receive the prime minister in Mukhwa-Harsil, a land full of spiritual and natural beauty,” he said.

“Certainly, this winter trip of yours will give new dimensions to the cultural, spiritual and tourism development of our State,” Mr. Dhami said and hoped that PM Modi’s visit would put Mukhwa on the global tourism map.