Garhwal Post Bureau
Rudraprayag, 25 Jun: The Kedarnath Dham Yatra, disrupted for four hours due to continuous landslides and falling boulders at Munkatiya, has now resumed. The pilgrims were halted at safe locations after debris from the hillside rendered the route impassable. The landslide, triggered by overnight rainfall, occurred around 6:30 a.m. this morning between Sonprayag and Gaurikund. Machinery from the National Highways Department was swiftly deployed, and by 8:30 a.m. the road was cleared, allowing hundreds of devotees to proceed.
However, fresh debris soon began falling again at Munkatiya, prompting the police to suspend movement once again. It may be reminded here that the Kedarnath Highway at Kakragad also remains hazardous due to ongoing landslides, posing a persistent threat to pilgrims and locals alike. SP, Rudraprayag, Akshay Prahlad Konde shared with the media that the yatra was halted for four hours purely as a safety measure. Once the route was stabilised, pilgrims were permitted to continue on foot from Sonprayag through the sliding zone to Gaurikund. The total trek length has now increased to approximately 24 kilometres, with the rain soaked path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath Dham remaining particularly challenging. Konde urged pilgrims to plan their journey in accordance with weather forecasts and to strictly follow police advisories.
In Gopeshwar (District Chamoli), the Badrinath National Highway near Pinola, Govindghat, which had been blocked by falling boulders, has also been cleared. The Border Roads Organisation successfully removed the debris, restoring traffic flow. The pilgrims en route to Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib, who had been stranded on both sides of the highway, were finally allowed to proceed once the road was reopened.
Meanwhile, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee member Dr Vineet Posti visited the District Disaster Management Centre to assess preparedness in wake of the ongoing rainfall. He reviewed the Kedarnath Yatra route via CCTV and, through the DDRN intranet system, appealed to pilgrims to avoid climbing glaciers for photographs. He also addressed devotees at Sonprayag, advising them to wear warm boots and raincoats and to prioritise their health. He assured that the state government, temple committee, and district administration are fully prepared to assist pilgrims.
In Dehradun district, the Kalsi-Chakrata road, considered the lifeline of Jaunsar Bawar region, was blocked due to a landslide from the Jajred hill following heavy rain. Motorists travelling between Vikasnagar, Sahia, and Chakrata were stranded for nearly an hour. Assistant Engineer Radhika Sharma of PWD Sahia confirmed that two JCB machines were deployed to clear the debris, and traffic has since been restored.
