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The MEA said the selected pilgrims will travel in 15 batches of 50 people each. Five batches will proceed via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, while ten batches will travel via the Nathu La
route in Sikkim. Each group will be accompanied by two liaison officers. “Both routes are now fully motorable and involve very little trekking,” the ministry noted, adding that the pilgrims
were selected “through a fair, computer-generated, random, gender-balanced selection process.” Selected individuals will be informed via SMS and email and can also check their status on the
official Yatra website (https://kmy.gov.in). Singh emphasised the government’s efforts to make the yatra more accessible, transparent, and safe. He urged the pilgrims to undertake the
journey “with a sense of responsibility, humility and mindfulness, while caring for each other as well as protecting the sanctity of the environment.” India had announced the resumption of
the yatra on April 26 as part of a broader set of confidence-building measures aimed at easing bilateral tensions with China. Relations between the two countries had deteriorated sharply
following deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020, bringing dialogue and people-to-people exchanges to a halt. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is seen as a symbolic step
towards restoring normalcy in diplomatic and cultural ties between the neighbours.