Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, praised the introduction of hydraulic chairs for elderly and differently-abled pilgrims at Har Ki Pauri, the iconic ghat in Haridwar, calling it a living example of service-driven development. The minister's post, shared on X, framed the initiative as proof that true progress lies not merely in erecting new structures but in building systems that honour the faith and dignity of every devotee.

Context

In his post, Shekhawat wrote — translated from Hindi — 'Seva aur sanskriti ka sundar sangam' ('A beautiful confluence of service and culture'), arguing that development must respect the aspirations and dignity of every devotee. He specifically highlighted the hydraulic chair arrangement at Har Ki Pauri as a 'living example of the spirit of seva.' The minister added: 'When service, sensitivity, and culture walk together, only then does every step of faith truly become easy.'

Har Ki Pauri is among India's most sacred ghats, situated on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. It draws millions of pilgrims annually for the evening Ganga aarti and ritual bathing, and serves as the central venue during the Kumbh Mela — one of the largest religious gatherings on earth. The steep stone steps and dense crowds at the ghat have historically posed significant challenges for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Policy Backdrop

The hydraulic chair facility aligns with the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), launched in 2015, which mandates retrofitting public spaces, tourist sites, and religious locations to ensure barrier-free access for persons with disabilities. The campaign has progressively extended its scope to include major pilgrimage sites, recognising the large proportion of elderly and divyang visitors they attract.

Successive central governments have paired tourism development schemes with directives on barrier-free access at ghats and temples, particularly in the run-up to large pilgrimages. Shekhawat's ministry has in recent years positioned cultural tourism and religious heritage as twin pillars of India's soft-power and domestic tourism strategy, with accessibility increasingly cited as a non-negotiable component of site upgrades.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are elderly pilgrims and divyang (differently-abled) devotees who previously faced physical barriers in accessing the water's edge at Har Ki Pauri. Hydraulic chairs — motorised or mechanically assisted seating that can be lowered toward the ghat steps — allow such visitors to participate in ritual bathing and aarti without depending entirely on manual assistance.

Disability-rights advocates and pilgrim-welfare groups have long called for such infrastructure at major tirthas. The initiative, if replicated at other high-footfall ghats and temples, could significantly expand the accessibility of India's religious tourism circuit, which sees hundreds of millions of domestic visits each year.

What's Next

The spotlight on Har Ki Pauri's hydraulic chairs is likely to prompt calls for similar installations at other Kumbh Mela venues and major pilgrimage sites across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and beyond. With the next major Kumbh cycle drawing closer, the Culture and Tourism Ministry's focus on accessibility infrastructure at sacred sites is expected to intensify, potentially finding expression in upcoming budget allocations and site-development plans under the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme. The minister's public endorsement signals that barrier-free access at religious sites is now a stated policy priority, not an afterthought.