Rudraprayag-Gaurikund National Highway remained closed for the third day near Munkatiya. NH and the implementing agency are busy clearing the debris from both sides with two JCBs and a dozer. The work is being hampered by the tons of debris and boulders accumulated here as well as the stones falling intermittently from the hill. NH officials have expressed hope of the highway opening by night. The Superintendent of Police, while inspecting the spot, boosted the morale of the personnel.
Last Tuesday evening at around six o’clock, the highway was blocked by a landslide near Munkatiya. The same night, the scope of the landslide increased due to heavy rain, due to which a large part of the highway was damaged. Also, a part of the Sonprayag-Gaurikund pedestrian path on the upper side was broken. The highway was completely closed due to accumulation of tons of debris and boulders, since then the work of clearing the debris is being done by NH and the implementing agency.
The passengers returning from Kedarnath are being sent to Sonprayag.
On the other hand, the passengers returning from Kedarnath through the forest are being sent to Sonprayag by making temporary trails by NDRF, SDRF and police. At the same time, the local people going from Sonprayag are being sent to Gaurikund. The journey has been closed for the last three days due to the closure of the highway. Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde inspected the highway from Rudraprayag to Munkatiya. During this, he talked to the officers and employees of NH and implementing agency and encouraged them. He asked the personnel to work with their own safety.
The Executive Engineer of the highway, Omkar Pandey, said that for the last three days, the work of clearing the debris is being done with JCB and dozer from morning to late night. Due to frequent rains, stones and debris are falling from the landslide zone, causing problems. If the weather remains good, the highway will be opened by late night.
Sonprayag Kotwali in-charge inspector Rakendra Singh Kathayat said that the Kedarnath Yatra has been stopped due to the highway being blocked. There are only a few pilgrims in Sonprayag who have booked rooms here. With the help of NDRF and SDRF personnel, only local people from Sonprayag are being sent to Gaurikund via a temporary route. Also, pilgrims returning from Kedarnath are being brought to Sonprayag
