Char Dham Yatra Resumes After 24-Hour Weather Halt By Uttarakhand Government

Char Dham Yatra: The Yatra was suspended on Sunday following a heavy rainfall alert and a subsequent cloudburst that triggered a massive landslide near Barkot, resulting in the deaths of two workers and leaving seven others missing.

Photo Credit: ANI

New Delhi: The Char Dham Yatra resumed on Monday after the Uttarakhand government lifted a 24-hour precautionary suspension imposed due to adverse weather conditions, officials confirmed.

Speaking to ANI, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey stated, “The 24-hour ban on Char Dham Yatra has been lifted.” He added that all District Magistrates along the Yatra route have been instructed to monitor weather conditions closely and halt vehicular movement if necessary to ensure pilgrim safety.

The Yatra was suspended on Sunday following a heavy rainfall alert and a subsequent cloudburst that triggered a massive landslide near Barkot, resulting in the deaths of two workers and leaving seven others missing.

In the wake of the incident, several parts of Chamba town also experienced heavy rainfall on Monday, compounding concerns over road safety and infrastructure along the pilgrimage route.

Repair work has been ongoing since the landslide struck the Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district. According to Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya, restoration has been completed on the section washed out before Silai Band. He confirmed to ANI that while one major washout has been fully repaired and the road made smooth, work continues on other damaged portions.

“The washout caused by the cloudburst before Silai Band on the Barkot-Yamunotri road has been repaired, and efforts are ongoing to smooth out remaining sections,” Arya said. He also reported that the 33 KV power line in the area has been restored, while restoration work on the 11 KV line is still underway.

Rescue operations are being jointly conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and revenue teams to locate the seven missing workers.

According to Uttarkashi Police, the landslide and cloudburst occurred approximately four kilometres beyond Paligad on the Yamunotri National Highway, near Silai Band. Multiple agencies, including fire services, health personnel, and the Public Works Department, are engaged in the ongoing rescue operation.

Authorities confirmed that two deceased workers have been identified as 43-year-old Kewal Bisht from Karmamohani, Rajapur District in Nepal, and 55-year-old Duje Lal from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

The state government continues to monitor the situation closely, urging pilgrims to follow advisories and remain cautious amid persistent rainfall in the region.

(with inputs from ANI)