The Char Dham Yatra resumed on Tuesday after being temporarily suspended for a day as a precautionary measure amid inclement weather, with Uttarakhand authorities allowing the pilgrimage to continue following a review of weather and route conditions.
Garhwal commissioner Anand Swaroop said the yatra was being conducted in coordination with the district administrations, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other departments across the districts connected to the route.
He said the authorities were continuously monitoring the pilgrimage routes, with special vigilance being maintained in vulnerable areas.
Swaroop appealed to pilgrims to remain at designated safe locations or holding areas if the route is temporarily disrupted due to heavy rainfall, landslides or any other reason during the journey. He advised pilgrims to strictly follow instructions issued by the administration and police and resume their journey only after the situation returns to normal.
“Pilgrim safety is the administration’s top priority,” Swaroop said, adding that all departments concerned had been directed to continuously monitor weather conditions and the status of the pilgrimage routes so that immediate action could be taken whenever required.
Heavy rainfall in the state has affected the Kedarnath route, causing the Sharda River to swell. In Champawat district, the irrigation department sounded a red alert at the Banbasa Sharda Barrage on the India-Nepal border following a sharp rise in the river’s water level, leading to restrictions on movement in the border area and the suspension of vehicular traffic across the barrage.
{{/usCountry}}Heavy rainfall in the state has affected the Kedarnath route, causing the Sharda River to swell. In Champawat district, the irrigation department sounded a red alert at the Banbasa Sharda Barrage on the India-Nepal border following a sharp rise in the river’s water level, leading to restrictions on movement in the border area and the suspension of vehicular traffic across the barrage.
{{/usCountry}}The Uttarakhand government has also advised pilgrims to check the latest weather updates before beginning their journey and rely only on official information issued by the administration.