DEHRADUN: The revered Kedarnath Yatra was brought to an abrupt halt following a massive landslide on the Sonprayag–Gaurikund pedestrian route, triggered by incessant rains.
A significant portion of the hill allegedly collapsed approximately 1.5 km beyond Munakatiya, completely blocking the Rudraprayag–Gaurikund National Highway and halting all two-way traffic.
The incident occurred around 6:30 PM on Tuesday amidst heavy rainfall, when a large section of rock and debris plummeted onto the road. While authorities hoped to restore the highway by Thursday morning, if weather conditions improved, the Sonprayag–Gaurikund pedestrian path remains closed due to the severity of the landslide.
Police swiftly moved to halt all movement, stopping pilgrims at both Gaurikund and Sonprayag. Rakendra Singh Kathait, In-charge of Sonprayag Kotwali, confirmed the extent of the blockage.
“Large boulders along with debris have fallen, completely disrupting movement. Pilgrims have been stopped at Gaurikund and Sonprayag,” he stated.
Work to clear the debris has commenced, with Omkar Nath Pandey, Executive Engineer of the National Highway, stating, “Two machines have been deployed to clear the rubble.”
However, continuous rainfall and falling boulders in the Munakatiya area have significantly hampered efforts. Due to safety concerns, night-time clearance operations by JCB machines were deemed impossible, temporarily suspending road restoration.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has mobilised its teams to address the crisis. Arpan Yaduvanshi, Commandant of SDRF, told this newspaper, “Eight SDRF units are on 24-hour alert mode in different areas along the pilgrimage routes and connecting roads due to rain-induced disruptions.”
SDRF Post Sonprayag Sub-Inspector Ashish Dimri elaborated on the challenges faced during rescue operations. “Continuous falling stones significantly hampered the debris clearing process,” he said.
“Considering these circumstances, an SDRF team was dispatched to the affected area beyond Gaurikund to safely evacuate stranded pilgrims via alternative routes.” An earlier pedestrian alternative route had been damaged by heavy rains, prompting the SDRF team to construct a new one. With the assistance of local police, they successfully guided pilgrims returning from Kedarnath through the sensitive zone.
By 6 PM on Wednesday, the SDRF team had safely evacuated a total of 1,489 pilgrims, including 1,173 men, 270 women, and 46 children. The team remains deployed at the site, with relief and rescue operations ongoing.
Meanwhile, Hemant Dwivedi, Chairman of the Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), arrived in Sonprayag on Wednesday to inspect the landslide-affected area. He instructed the district administration to expedite the opening of the Kedarnath pilgrimage route and directed SDRF and NDRF teams to assist pilgrims.
Beyond inspecting the damaged road, Dwivedi also interacted with pilgrims, enquiring about their well-being. He appealed to them to undertake the journey only after checking weather forecasts. He was accompanied by BKTC Vice President Vijay Kaprwan and senior member Srinivas Posti.