Gopeshwar (UKD), March 12 (PTI) Helicopters ferrying pilgrims to Badrinath will be charged an 'eco-development' fee this year by Badrinath Nagar Panchayat.

It is for the first time that commercial flights are being imposed with such a fee.

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"Commercial helicopters flying to Badrinath will have to pay Rs 1,000 as eco-development fee per flight. Rules are being amended for the purpose," Badrinath Nagar Panchayat Executive Officer Sunil Purohit said.

Pilgrims coming by road to the Himalayan temple will be provided with garbage bags by the nagar panchayat.

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Those who return them will be refunded Rs 20 at the time of entering.

Vehicles plying on the route have been paying the fee since 2020.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)