Rudraprayag: The situation in the hill districts has worsened due to continuous rain. While the hills are cracking on the highways, the Kedarnath footpath has also become life-threatening. Boulders are falling from the hill on the 19 km footpath from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, due to which the pilgrims have to travel with their lives at stake. On Saturday morning, a pilgrim from Maharashtra died due to a boulder falling from the hill on the Kedarnath footpath.
Kedarnath Yatra was closed till 14th August: The havoc of rain continues in the mountains. Due to the rain, life has become disrupted. The worst effect of the rain is on the pilgrimage to Kedarnath Dham. In view of the heavy rains in the past few days and the danger on the 19 km footpath of Gaurikund-Kedarnath, the district administration had banned the Kedarnath Yatra till 14th August, but still some pilgrims were adamant on going beyond Sonprayag, on whom the police lathicharged.
Accident happened about one km above Gaurikund: As soon as the Kedarnath Dham Yatra was opened on 15th August, hundreds of devotees left, but an incident happened on Saturday morning, in which a pilgrim died due to a stone falling on the footpath. On 15th August at around 10 am, the police post Gaurikund received information that a pilgrim died due to a stone falling from the hill near Chhodi Gadhera on the Kedarnath Yatra route, about one km above Gaurikund.
On receiving the information, the deceased pilgrim Parmeshwar Bhim Rao Khawal son Bhim Rao Khawal resident of Gali No. 68 4/B Vadgan Kolhati Aurangabad Maharashtra age 38 years was immediately brought to Gaurikund Hospital by the Yatra Management Force of the District Administration and the Police, where further necessary action was taken.
Traveling on highways in the rain is very dangerous: On the other hand, due to the havoc of rain, traveling on highways is becoming very dangerous. It cannot be said when death will rain from the hill on the highway. Due to the hill cracking at various places on the Badrinath and Kedarnath highways, pilgrims are taking hours to cover a journey of minutes. The pilgrims are also quite troubled due to the highways being closed for hours, while they are shocked to see the scene of hill cracking.
