Rishikesh: In a landmark development for Uttarakhand’s adventure tourism sector, 265 rafting operators have decided to come together under a single association. This collective step is being viewed as a crucial move towards stronger industry representation, improved dialogue with the government, and the revival of the rafting business. The unity is expected to give the entire industry a common platform, a shared identity, and a collective voice to address long-standing challenges effectively.
The campaign to bring the rafting industry onto a common platform began on 16 April 2026. On that day, a group of rafting operators met Tourism Secretary Dhiraj Garbyal at the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB). Led by Dharmendra Bhandari, more than 50 operators, including Mor Singh Bugana, Praveen Singh Rawat, Vishal Bhandari, Yash Bhandari, Kanwar and Pradeep Raj Singh, placed before the Tourism Secretary a detailed list of problems facing the industry and the operational and business challenges being encountered in rafting. The prompt response from the Tourism Secretary gave momentum to the initiative. The issues raised in the meeting were recorded in the minutes, and further action towards resolving the problems was initiated.
A significant turning point came on 7 August 2026, when a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Tourism Secretary at UTDB. More than 100 rafting operators participated along with the GNR Chairman. After the meeting, the GNR Chairman was entrusted with the responsibility of holding direct discussions with the rafting operators to take their issues forward. Subsequently, on 12 August 2026, a meeting was organised in Tehri under the chairmanship of the GNR Chairman, which was attended by more than 30 rafting operators. The minutes of the meeting were duly prepared, and the rafting industry was advised that all operators should come under a single representative organisation capable of official correspondence and dialogue with the government on behalf of the industry. In this sequence, 3 September was fixed as the date for the final decision on the formation of a single association.
The meeting of 3 September 2026 proved to be the decisive stage of the entire process that had been underway for several months. Representatives of the rafting industry gathered at the GNR Chairman’s camp office in Muni Ki Reti, where the proposal for forming a single association was formally presented. The proposal received widespread support from the rafting operators and was accepted, leading to a historic consensus on providing the industry with a common platform. The GNR Chairman has given the operators one month’s time for the formal constitution and registration of the association. The newly formed organisation will be presented before GNR and UTDB at the meeting scheduled for 3 October 2026.
This unity holds special significance because rafting is one of the principal pillars of Uttarakhand’s adventure tourism industry. The Ganga rafting corridor attracts tourists from different parts of the country as well as international visitors, making a substantial contribution to the tourism economy of Rishikesh and surrounding areas. Representatives associated with the rafting industry believe that a strong and unified association will enable the industry’s problems to be placed more effectively before the government. It will also help in developing better standards for the industry and strengthening coordination with government departments. At the same time, it will lay a solid foundation for the long-term and sustainable development of rafting tourism in Uttarakhand.
The formation of URKA is not being seen merely as the creation of a new industry organisation. It is regarded as a significant step towards giving the entire rafting industry one platform, one identity and one collective voice. Operators associated with this historic initiative believe that the unity achieved on 3 September can mark the beginning of a new chapter for rafting in Uttarakhand. The rafting industry, which has been the identity of Uttarakhand’s adventure tourism for more than three decades, has now taken a collective step towards securing its future, improving coordination with the government, and restoring the industry’s reputation and trust.
The Uttarakhand government is planning to develop Rishikesh as an iconic city in the coming years, where world-class facilities and infrastructure will be made available for tourists and tourism operators. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed for this development. According to Tourism Secretary Dhiraj Garbyal and UIIDB Principal Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram, the recently formed rafting operators’ association will be made an integral part of this SPV, particularly in the operation and management of rafting activities.
The coming together of 265 rafting operators under a proposed association is undoubtedly a significant milestone in the history of Uttarakhand’s rafting tourism. 3 September 2026 may well be remembered as the day when the rafting community of Uttarakhand decided to chart the course of its future not through fragmented voices but through one collective voice. The slogan “One Industry, One Voice” is set to become the new identity of the sector. This unity is expected not only to address present challenges but also to help take Uttarakhand’s adventure tourism to new heights in the years ahead.