Jams, lack of facilities spoil rafting thrill in Rishikesh

Due to the lack of parking space and overcrowding, tourists travelling in their own vehicles face a lot of inconvenience in Brahmpuri, a village 18 km upwards from Rishikesh, which is a famous rafting spot.

Every 10-15 minutes, one can spot two to three vehicles, carrying rafts, stop at Brahmpuri. Those, organising the adventurous water sport, pump in air into deflated rafts and distribute life-saving jackets and helmets to rafters. 

The entire procedure takes place on NH-58, which connects to the Hemkund Sahib. The time-taking procedure disrupts vehicular flow, causing jams. Moreover, there is no traffic policeman to control the situation, which adds to commuters’ problems. Rafters not only have to face a heavy traffic to reach Bramhpuri. There are other problems too that they face after reaching rafting zone. A narrow trek leads to the river beach.  Due to the lack of a stairway, many, especially women and senior citizens, find it difficult to trek through the narrow and steep path. Besides, there is neither a restroom, nor a restaurant.

“Before the NGT ban on beach camping, tourists used to wait along the riverbank for rafting. But now, the camps have been shifted to villages,” said Dharmendra Negi, owner of Himganga Adventure. With no shelter, it is difficult for tourists to wait for their turn under the scorching sun. Besides, there is no place to take refuge if it starts raining.

“We tried to contact the forest department for the transfer of a forest land to make a temporary restroom, but to no avail,” said AK Diwedi, Additional Director of Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board.

Ramchandra Bhardwaj, joint director of the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, said: “The rafting season will end on June 30. However, if there is an increase in the river’s water level, we can ask the tourism advisory committee to stop rafting mid-way for the safety of tourists.”