By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 28 Jul: The Char Dham Yatra has been temporarily suspended for two days in view of continuing heavy rainfall, widespread landslides and deteriorating road conditions across Uttarakhand. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey shared with the media that the Yatra had been halted for today and tomorrow as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of pilgrims after the yatra routes were blocked by landslides at several locations and in view of the IMD’s alert of heavy rainfall. He said the Yatra would resume once weather conditions improved and the routes were declared safe for travel.
The monsoon has once again intensified across the state and the Dehradun Meteorological Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms over most districts, while issuing an Orange Alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of Uttarakhand. The administration has directed all the related departments to remain on high alert as persistent rain continues to disrupt normal life across the Himalayan state.
The Kedarnath, Badrinath and Yamunotri highways have been blocked at several places due to landslides, while overflowing rivers and seasonal streams, falling debris and boulders have further hampered movement. Rescue operations had to be carried out in some affected areas, and educational institutions remained closed in four districts as a precaution against the adverse weather.
The situation deteriorated significantly on the Yamunotri route following overnight rain. Near Ram Mandir on the Jankichatti-Yamunotri trek, the rising water level of the Yamuna River caused nearly 30 metres of the pedestrian route to cave in, completely disrupting movement to and from the shrine. On the Yamunotri Highway near Pali Gad, large boulders crashed onto the road, injuring two Kanwarias returning from Yamunotri, while several others narrowly escaped. The injured pilgrims were administered first aid before being referred to a higher medical centre.
Heavy rainfall has also disrupted transport infrastructure in Tehri district, where landslides, debris and boulders blocked nine rural motor roads, affecting connectivity to several villages. District Disaster Management Officer Brijesh Bhatt said restoration work had begun immediately. The affected roads include the Raipur-Kumalda-Kaddukhal, Ghuttu-Gangi, Gullar-Bhagwasera, Gullar-Nai Mathiyali, Narendra Nagar-Ranipokhri, Devprayag-Gaja-Jajal, Lal Pul-Bhutsi, Ranichauri-Nakot and Diwada-Bangoli-Rajrajeshwari Temple rural motor roads. Departmental teams have been deployed to clear the debris and restore traffic at the earliest.
In Chamoli district, as many as 21 rural roads have been rendered inaccessible due to rain-related damage, while the Badrinath National Highway was blocked near the Kanchan Ganga stream after debris and boulders descended onto the carriageway. Restoration work is in progress, although continued rainfall is slowing operations.
Dehradun district also witnessed widespread disruption following the overnight downpour. Roads in the Sauda Saroli and Maldevta areas were blocked by debris, while a retaining wall reportedly collapsed at Sahastradhara. Between five and six incidents of trees falling were reported from different parts of the district, while waterlogging affected several localities. In the Doiwala-Bhaniyawala stretch of the Rishikesh National Highway, overflowing seasonal streams inundated sections of the highway and nearby residential areas, causing considerable inconvenience to commuters and residents.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh and Nainital districts over next 2 days. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are also likely in these areas, while intermittent spells of intense rainfall have been forecast for several other districts of the state.
The administration has appealed to residents, pilgrims and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in landslide-prone areas, and to remain away from overflowing rivers and seasonal streams. Travellers have been advised to check the latest weather and road conditions before undertaking any journey and to strictly follow official advisories issued by the administration and concerned departments until the weather improves and normalcy is restored.
