Uttarakhand govt plans to regulate trekking, mountaineering under new framework

THe Uttarakhand authorities is considering a wholesale regulatory fabric for trekking and mountaineering activities, including mandatory enrollment of operators, a lower limit age of 14 for high-altitude treks, compulsory mountaineering certification for guides and quotas for hiring local residents.Officials said the proposed framework seeks to improve safety standards, strengthen oversight of trekking activities and reduce ecological pressure on fragile Himalayan regions, while also promoting local employment opportunities.The proposed guidelines, prepared by the forest department in consultation with stakeholders including the tourism department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, experts, trekking operators and agencies, propose mandatory medical fitness certificates for trekkers, accountability mechanisms requiring operators to obtain weather updates before expeditions, and insurance cover for employees of agencies and operators, a senior forest department official said.A stakeholder, requesting anonymity, said the proposed minimum age for undertaking high-altitude treks is 14, while there will be no maximum age limit. All trekkers will have to submit a fitness or medical certificate, he said.Other salient features include the constitution of district-level monitoring committees, measures related to waste management, and provisions aimed at addressing carrying capacity concerns on trekking routesThe move comes amid growing concerns over safety standards and regulation of trekking operators following several fatal incidents in Uttarakhand in recent years.Nine trekkers from a 22-member expedition died after being caught in a blizzard during the Sahastra Tal trek in Uttarkashi in June 2024. A probe by authorities found alleged negligence on the part of the trekking agency, including deployment of only three guides for a difficult-category trek, inadequate provision of medicines, rescue and safety equipment, and failure to ensure acclimatisation despite four trekkers being above 60 years of age.Officials also found that the trekkers were not kept at a high-altitude base camp for acclimatisation and alleged that the agency failed to coordinate with the administration for rescue and relief operations after the incident.Twenty-nine trainees and instructors of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, were killed after being hit by an avalanche near the Dokrani Bamak glacier in Uttarkashi in October 2022. The tragedy also Savita Kanswal, the first Indian woman to summit both Everest and Makalu within 16 days. Since then, the state authorities have been working to regulate trekking.Local hiring, SOPs and safety checksChief conservator of forests (eco-tourism) PK Patro said the proposed guidelines to regulate trekking and mountaineering activities in Uttarakhand could be introduced either as a policy or a set of rules, with the final form still under consultation.“This is the first time such comprehensive trekking guidelines are being developed in Uttarakhand. The objective is to avoid accidents and ensure timely rescue of victims if such incidents occur,” he said.Patro added that trekking operators and agencies currently register with the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board but would be required to register under the proposed framework for fixed periods, with mandatory renewals.Other proposed provisions include mandatory health check-ups for trekkers, age limits for guides, insurance cover for personnel involved in trekking and mountaineering activities, solid waste management measures, standardisation of equipment and addressing carrying capacity concerns, he added. District level monitoring committees will also be constituted these activities, the official said.Patro said the proposed framework would also make it mandatory for trekking agencies and operators to employ a certain percentage of local residents as staff, a move aimed at generating employment opportunities and addressing migration from hill areas.“We have proposed every agency and operator in the trekking field to register for five years. Once the framework comes into existance, those already operating in the state will have to register within 60 days,” a senior official said.The proposed guidelines prescribe qualification and age criteria for trekking guides, with low-altitude guides likely required to be between 18 and 60 years of age and high-altitude guides between 20 and 60 years, while those above 50 would need annual medical fitness certificates, he said, adding that guides would also be required to complete mandatory mountaineering courses from recognised institutes and possess at least two years’ experience with a registered agency, with high-altitude guides needing both basic and advanced certifications.“We want operators and agencies to ensure at least 50% employment for local residents,” he said.He said every trekker would have to attain a medical certificate and every agency will have to obtain necessary weather information before any expedition.The official further said that they also proposed district-level committees under district magistrates (DMs) and district tourism officers, to oversee these activities.Former principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) Colonel Ajay Kothiyal said Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) should be planned methodically on the lines of Sikkim government to regularise trekking and other adventure activities.“The SOPs of the Sikkim government for trekking and other adventure activities are ideal. We can also introduce such SOPs. The SOPs should be in the interest of society. It should ensure the safety of trekkers, preserving nature. All such aspects should be there in the SOPs,” he said. “The trekking operators should be allowed to carry satellite phones at higher altitudes for the coordination purpose in rescue, in event of emergency,” he added.Rakesh Pant of Trek The Himalayas said if the SOPs are introduced, it’s a welcoming move but their implementation is rather more important. “Presently, people do give their health certificates but the checkup should be done before the start of the trek. We assess the fitness level of participants and seek their BMI, BP, sugar and other parameters. We seek a medical certificate from them signed by a doctor, giving a fitness clearance. We inquire about their basic health details like if they have BP, sugar. Once participants reach the base camp, we again check their health parameters,” he said.Pant added that before the trek, a proper checking of the trekking group should take place. “If the guides are carrying the proper equipment and gear needed at the high altitudes. A communication device should be ensured.”