HYDERABAD: Initial news of people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh being stranded at a landslide-hit pilgrimage site, in Uttarakhand caused much trepidation among the families of the affected. However, it has been learnt that pilgrims from Telangana who had set out for Char Dham yatra to Uttarakhand are safe, officials at Telangana Bhavan in Delhi said.
A landslide that hit Chamoli region on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway led to 2,000 being stranded for a few hours but no one died. By Saturday evening, people resumed their journey.
“The landslide that hit Chamoli district, which is around 40 km from Badrinath has not caused any damage to human lives. All pilgrims were only stranded and the road will be cleared by tonight,” said S Venu Gopala Chary from Telangana Bhavan. He added that there was no connectivity in and hence no communication.
“However, we have checked with the locals there, who along with the police are clearing out the area,” the officer added. While they do not information on the total number of people from the Telugu states stranded there, 22 people who went through the Uttarakhand Tourism office are also safe. “These people are from Begum Bazaar and they are back in Rishikesh. They are all safe. They will soon resume their journey,” said an officer from the Uttarakhand tourism’s local office in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, over 60 people who went through Southern Travels, a private travel company are also safe. Lakshmi Vara Prasad from the agency said, “We have not received any calls from anyone stating that there is an issue. They are stranded, but the local police has ensured that necessary arrangements are in place for them.”
Shades of 2013 calamity
The situation this year, is under control, unlike the last landslide, which occurred in June 2013 in Kedarnath Valley. The incident killed 5,000 pilgrims and stranded 22,000, in what was called the worst ever calamity to befall pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham yatra.