December 24, 2025
NEW DELHI – The Uttarakhand government will now allow only technically skilled and certified guides for rafting in the state’s rivers.
The government has decided that 900 rafting guides across the state would be provided training to enhance their technical proficiency in first-aid and CPR as a plan is afoot to raise their working age from present 50 to 60 years.
Rafting guides operating in Ganga and other rivers in Uttarakhand will now be mandatorily required to undergo skill development training and three-day first-aid training program to be able to take up the work in future.
The training will cover first-aid and CPR to ensure that guides can provide immediate medical assistance to rafters in the event of accidents and other hours of need. They will also have to equip themselves with technically-qualified certificates from competent agencies before formally taking up the job of rafting guides.
The decision was taken by the state Tourism Department following a demand raised by rafters’ association in the state. State tourism secretary Dhiraj Garbyal has confirmed the decision on the mandatory first aid training and imparting skilled proficiency for thd rafting guides in the state. However, according to the secretary, no final decision was taken on the age limit but a consensus was reached to increase the maximum age limit for rafting guides from 50 to 60 years.
According to Garbyal, a consensus was arrived at following a meeting with raters’ association on Tuesday. It was decided in the meeting with the association that 900 rafting guides across the state will be provided training to enhance their technical proficiency in first aid and CPR.
The training will be conducted by Hanifl Centre, USA. A senior tourism official said a training program for rafting guides will begin in the first week of January 2026. It’s notable that the Rafting Association also raised other important issues in the meeting with the department. These included setting up rafting camps on riverbanks, re-assessment of carrying capacity of river Ganga, infrastructural improvements of rafting pick-up points from the main roads, and the provision for ambulances for the safety of tourists.