PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Pithoragarh
The holy Kailash- Mansarovar Yatra has resumed after remaining suspended for several years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to administration sources, although the road distance to Mansarovar has been reduced, challenges still remain with the 82-km stretch of road from Dharchula to Gunji passing through landslide-prone zones. For the first time, Mansarovar pilgrims will travel by vehicles from Dharchula to Lipulekh on their way to their sacred destination.
Importantly, the stretch from Dharchula to Gunji has been blocked more than 10 times in the past one month due to recurring landslides.
Earlier, after travelling 28 km in vehicles from the base camp in Dharchula to Mangti, pilgrims had to walk to Gunji, staying at more than six halts along the way. Now, the same distance can be covered in five to six hours in vehicles. The road now reaches up to the Indo- China border — situated at an altitude of over 17,500 feet above the sea level. This will provide relief to the pilgrims, but the vulnerable terrains lying along the road are likely to pose challenges.
The road connecting Dharchula with Lipulekh- considered the gateway to Mansarovar- was inaugurated about five years ago by the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh. Now, it is the responsibility of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to maintain it for pilgrimage and other purposes. BRO had recently been directed to immediately repair the damaged roads as part of preparations for the Yatra and also to keep the administration updated on the road status.
According to officials of the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the process of verifying the pilgrims’ documents and conducting their medical check-ups has already begun in Delhi on Monday. The first group will include 50 pilgrims and it will reach Tanakpur on July 3 and Pithoragarh on July 5. While the road operations for the Yatra are being managed by KMVN, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is providing security to the pilgrims along the Yatra stretch from Tanakpur to Lipulekh.
