Uttarakhand: Unclimbed peak in Gangotri National Park to be named ‘Atal Peak’

Unclimbed peak in Gangotri National Park to be named ‘Atal Peak’,The proposal has received a nod from Maharaj, and Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat.

An unscaled mountain peak, or a “virgin” peak, situated at an altitude of over 6,500 metres in the Gangotri National Park, is soon going to be named ‘Atal Peak’ after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
On September 23 Avdhesh Bhatt, a member of the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB), had sent a proposal to state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj requesting to name an unclimbed peak after the former prime minister.
The proposal has received a nod from Maharaj, and Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat.
Bhatt said, “On October 2, a six-member team will start a 15-day expedition to the unclimbed peak in the Gangotri National Park. If we reach the summit, then we will prepare a proposal that the peak must be named ‘Atal Peak’.”

The 15-day expedition will be a joint one of UTDB and Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM).
Once the expedition is completed successfully, on state government’s recommendation, a proposal to rename the peak will be sent to the Survey of India, and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) with proof of the team having reached the summit. The Survey of India, which is the authority to name mountains that fall under the Indian territory will then decide whether the peak can be named ‘Atal Peak’, Bhatt said.