Heavy rain halts pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand

The pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Hemkund Sahib has been temporarily suspended due to heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand. Authorities have halted pilgrims in Srinagar, ensuring their safety and providing necessary facilities.

Amid continuous rainfall in the upper Himalayan regions, the administration has temporarily suspended the movement of pilgrims heading towards Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand's Garhwal as a precautionary measure.

Authorities have stopped vehicles from proceeding further until a detailed assessment of the weather conditions and the status of the pilgrimage routes is completed. The vehicles halted at Srinagar's Garhwal include those carrying pilgrims bound for Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Hemkund Sahib. Officials are closely monitoring the weather situation and road conditions. The onward movement of vehicles will be allowed only after the routes are declared safe for travel. The administration has appealed to pilgrims to remain patient and strictly follow official advisories and updates related to weather and the ongoing pilgrimage.

Administration provides update on yatra suspension

Deepak Bhandari, Executive Magistrate of Srinagar (Garhwal), said the yatra has been temporarily halted due to extreme weather conditions. "Due to extreme weather conditions today, the yatra has been stopped for a while. The journey has been suspended because of heavy rainfall in Rudraprayag and Chamoli," he said.

He provided details on the arrangements for pilgrims in Srinagar, saying, "Currently, in Srinagar, we have two halting areas: the NIT ground where we are standing, where we have already parked more than 100 small vehicles and about 30-35 large vehicles. We also have arrangements at the Awas Vikas ground." On facilities and support for pilgrims, Bhandari added, "We are continuously resolving any issues people have here regarding toilets and water. Additionally, we have ordered food packets, which will be available shortly. We are working constantly to ensure that the pilgrims do not face any problems."

Pilgrims await clearance, laud administration's efforts

At the halting point in Srinagar, pilgrim Sachin Kumar, who travelled from Uttar Pradesh and was heading to Kedarnath Dham, said the journey has been delayed due to the weather. "The plan was for three to four days, but given the weather, the police have stopped us here. It's possible it might take a bit longer now. We will proceed according to whatever the administration advises," he said.

About the facilities during the wait, Sachin added, "The Uttarakhand administration is doing a great job. There are no problems; everything is going well." (ANI)

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