PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Considering the disruption caused by heavy rain, possibility of landslides and the red alert issued by the State Meteorological Centre regarding the possibility of heavy rains in various parts of the State, the Char Dham Yatra was suspended for 24 hours on Sunday.
The Garhwal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pande said that the decision had been taken to ensure the safety of the pilgrims considering the current weather conditions. He said that this precautionary step has been taken for the safety of pilgrims so that they do not get stuck on the road and face any type of inconvenience. The authorities in the districts concerned have been kept on alert rescue and relief teams have also been activated.
The commissioner further said that the decision on resumption of the Char Dham Yatra will be taken after considering the weather conditions and reviewing the status of the roads on Monday. The pilgrims have been requested to observe the directions and guidelines issued by the administration and to proceed towards the Dham only after the weather returns to normal.
Meanwhile, the authorities halted pilgrims at Rishikesh and other safe locations in the mountainous regions en route to the Char Dham.
