Cracked hillside near Garbhadhar on Kailash Mansarovar route.
The continuous rainfall in Uttarakhand is now showing its impact on major pilgrimage routes. Due to landslides on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route in Pithoragarh, the fourth batch has been stopped at Dharchula itself, while 18 roads in the district are closed.
Meanwhile, in Rudraprayag, landslides also occurred at several places on the Kedarnath pedestrian route; however, the administration has cleared the path and resumed the pedestrian journey.
In Pithoragarh district, due to a mountain collapse near Garbhadhar, a large amount of debris and rocks fell on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route. Due to this, vehicular movement has been completely stopped.
For this reason, the fourth batch of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been stopped at Dharchula. The pilgrims will be sent to Gunji only after the road opens.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route affected due to landslide.
Know the complete matter
1. 18 roads closed, Thal-Munsyari route opened after 5 hours After heavy rainfall, 18 roads in the district, including the Kailash Mansarovar route, were closed due to debris. These include major routes like Tawaghat-Gunji, Muwani-Alam Darma, Sobla-Umchiya, Bangapani-Jarajibli and Hokra-Namik.
Meanwhile, traffic remained disrupted for about five hours on the Thal-Munsyari road after debris fell on Friday night. Movement could resume after the road opened around 10 am.
2. Rain has been a disaster for 15 days Conditions have deteriorated in the border district due to continuous rainfall over the past 15 days. Several roads, footpaths, and bridges in the Dharchula and Munsyari areas have been affected, causing difficulties for local residents and travelers.
3. BRO and administration teams engaged in clearing debris Teams from the District Disaster Management Department and BRO are engaged in clearing debris from the Kailash Mansarovar route and other affected roads. Efforts are being made to restore traffic on closed routes soon if weather conditions remain favorable.
The pilgrims of the first batch of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra were traditionally welcomed with a tilak applied on their foreheads in Tanakpur.
First batch of Kailash Yatra returns
The first batch of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has returned safely to India after darshan. On Saturday morning, after the takeover process at Lipulekh Pass, Chinese officials handed over the pilgrims to Indian security agencies.
Out of 49 pilgrims in the first batch, 48 reached Kailash Mansarovar. One doctor and three kitchen staff were also accompanying them. After returning, the group departed for Bundi via Gunji.
Meanwhile, the third group entered China via Lipulekh Pass on Saturday morning, while the second group is currently on the Kailash Parikrama. The fourth group will be dispatched from Dharchula to Gunji once the road conditions normalize.
Boulders fell like this between Gaurikund-Chidbasa in Rudraprayag.
Impact of rain on Kedarnath Yatra as Well
Amid continuous rainfall in Rudraprayag, incidents of landslides and falling stones occurred at several places on the Gaurikund-Chidbasa pedestrian route.
Keeping safety in mind, the administration temporarily halted the yatra, but after clearing the debris, the pedestrian journey was resumed.
Currently, work is underway to remove some large boulders at Chidbasa, so the operation of horses and mules has been kept suspended for now.
District Magistrate Vishal Mishra informed that the Kedarnath Dham pilgrimage is currently proceeding smoothly. In view of the monsoon, all control rooms in the district are working in a coordinated manner.
Continuous monitoring of river water levels is being maintained, and necessary steps are being taken according to weather department alerts.
He stated that JCB machines are already deployed at landslide-prone locations, so that in any emergency situation, the route can be restored as soon as possible. The safety of pilgrims is the administration’s top priority.
After landslide in Rudraprayag, the route was cleared, and the Kedarnath trek was resumed.
Several rivers near danger mark
Amidst continuous rainfall, the water levels of major rivers in Uttarakhand are rising rapidly. The Ganga, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Mandakini, Pindar, Saryu, and Kali rivers have reached close to the danger mark. If the rain continues for the next one or two days, water levels at many places could reach dangerous levels.
Currently, the water level of the Ganga in Rishikesh is 337.88 meters, while the danger level is 340.50 meters. Meanwhile, in Haridwar, the Ganga is flowing at 290.70 meters, which is below the danger mark of 294 meters.
Administration’s focus on these places
Considering the flood threat, Srinagar, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Ramnagar have been placed in the sensitive category. 36,183 cusecs of water is being released from Bhimgoda Barrage (Haridwar) and 41,989 cusecs from Virbhadra Barrage (Rishikesh).
Similarly, controlled water discharge is also ongoing from Maneri, Joshiyara, Ichari, Asan, and Vyasi dams. The State Emergency Operations Center has advised people in low-lying areas and the administration to remain alert.
