The Supreme Court named AK Sikri, as chairperson of the High-Powered Committee (HPC), which will assess the Chardham projects cumulative and independent impact on the entire Himalayan valley.
The objective of the Chardham Pariyojana is to improve connectivity to the Chardham pilgrimage centres in the Himalayas i.e. Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri, making journeys to these centres faster, safer, and more convenient. 900 kilometers of highways, including the Tanakpur-Pithoragarh stretch of National Highway (NH) 125, which is part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route will be widened under this project.