Wednesday, 07 August 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Tourism and Public Works minister Satpal Maharaj said that work is underway on war footing to reopen blocked road and bridle path to Kedarnath. Stating that all the stranded persons have been rescued from the valley, he said that the Kedarnath Yatra will be resumed as soon as the roads are restored. The minister recalled that heavy rains and landslides on the night of July 31 had damaged various roads in the Kedar Valley, resulting in a large number of people getting stranded at various locations. All of the stranded pilgrims have been successfully rescued by the government, he said, while adding that the State government is working on a war footing to restore the motor road and bridle path to Kedarnath. The pilgrimage to the shrine will be resumed as soon as the paths are restored, he said. Maharaj said that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and he had recently visited the disaster-affected areas of the State. Officials had been instructed to ensure that all the stranded persons are safely rescued and that all those in need are provided food and accommodation along with medical treatment, if needed. The relief and rescue operations were being monitored regularly by the government, he said.
The minister said that 11,775 persons stranded at various stops on the Kedarnath route along with pilgrims were successfully rescued by the government. Despite the stranded persons having been rescued, the State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel are still conducting search operations in Kedarnath, Lincholi, Bhimbali, Sonprayag, Shersi, Guptkashi, Chaumasi and other places.
