Work on pedestrian bypass to Kedarnath resumes in Sonprayag
By Arun Pratap Singh
Rudraprayag, 30 Sep: Even as the work on the pedestrian bypass road from Sonprayag to Kedarnath has resumed, the pilgrims are still not being allowed to proceed from the existing pedestrian road from Gaurikund to Kedarnath in the wake of continued landslides. This pedestrian route has had to be shut intermittently since the cloudburst incident that had occurred on night of 31 July. The pilgrims reaching Gaurikund for onward trek to Kedarnath are being turned back and diverted to Sonprayag. It may be recalled that, on the direction of the top administration, work on the alternative pedestrian bypass from Sonprayag till Kedarnath has been resumed after a break.
The Gaurikund-Kedarnath pedestrian trek remains closed currently due to security reasons. The district administration has been indicating that this road will be opened soon but, for the past few days, in view of the torrential rains that have lashed the Kedar Valley, the landslide zones have again become active.
The administration has apprehended that the threat of boulders and the debris falling from the hill looms large and this has delayed the opening of the road. The administration had officially planned to open the trek from Saturday onwards but decided against it in view of the heavy rains in the Valley since Friday.
Meanwhile, the construction work on the pedestrian bypass from Sonprayag along the right side of the Mandakini River has resumed for safer pedestrian access to Gaurikund. The pilgrims are reaching this alternate route already even as the repair work of the disaster affected road is underway. This alternate trek is in urgent need of repair as there is possibility of it getting obstructed due to landslides and rain.
Sector Magistrate Birendra Singh conceded that, due to the frequent rains in the area, movement on the pedestrian track from Gaurikund is not being allowed right now. The construction work of the pedestrian bypass from Sonprayag on the right side of the Mandakini River has resumed to ensure safer access to Gaurikund. The work was stopped for the last several days due to the objection by the Kedarnath Wildlife Division of the Forest Department. Two bridges are also proposed on the Mandakini River to connect this 1.5 km long and 1.8 metre wide path to the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund National Highway. The construction of the bypass is expected to provide relief to the pilgrims from the landslide zone. After heavy rainfall on 31 July, regular landslides are being noticed along Rudraprayag-Gaurikund National Highway, about one km ahead of Sonprayag. Here, a 150 metre portion of the hill is continuously cracking, due to which the highway has also been badly damaged. Also, the highway between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is badly damaged at three more places.
Reconstruction work is going on at the affected places by National Highways Authority of India, but the situation is not good. It may be recalled that five pilgrims returning from Kedarnath died after being buried under the debris in the landslide affected area on 9 September. After this accident, NH was instructed to make safety arrangements in the affected area, but the situation remains more or less the same.
To get rid of the landslide zone, the PWD had started the construction of a pedestrian bypass from the Sonprayag market on the right side of the Mandakini River. The work on the pedestrian bypass went on in full swing for about ten days. The department had employed 70 labourers in the construction of the bypass and a path of about one km was built. Also, both pillars of a bridge were also prepared, but the work was stopped by Kedarnath Wildlife Division of the Forest Department and remained halted.
The Kedarnath Forest Life Division has now withdrawn its objection on the direction of the government and has granted permission to PWD to start the construction work by following some necessary instructions leading to the resumption of the construction work.
