PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The bridle path to Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district, which was temporarily closed on Sunday due to heavy rain, was opened on Monday. One person had died and two sustained injuries on Sunday after being hit by debris and stones.
Considering this, the authorities suspended the pilgrimage from Sonprayag in order to keep the pilgrims safe and avoid further accidents. The Rudraprayag superintendent of police Akshay Konde said that the route was cleared by Sunday evening after debris was removed and the path was open for pilgrimage. He stated that the traffic had been reaching Sitapur and Sonprayag parking areas from various settlements in the district on Monday. From there, passengers are using the shuttle service to reach Gaurikund and then proceed toward Kedarnath on foot or by horse or mule.
The Meteorological department has issued a yellow alert for rain in the coming days and the police advise pilgrims to follow instructions and check the forecast before starting their journeys. Some social media posts circulated on Sunday showing heavy flow of water near Junglechatti stream and Mahadev Fall but those videos or posts do not reflect the current situation, as per Konde.
He claimed that the flow of water was normal after Sunday’s rain and debris had been cleared by Sunday evening. The bridle path is currently clear and there are no problems for pilgrimage. The authorities will provide updated information if conditions change, he added.
