Dehradun. In view of the continuous adverse weather, landslide incidents and security risks arising on the Yatra route in Rudraprayag district, District Magistrate and Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority Vishal Mishra, giving top priority to public safety and wider public interest, has issued orders to temporarily suspend the Yatra to Shri Madyamaheshwar Dham with immediate effect till further orders.
According to the order issued, in the report sent by Superintendent of Police Rudraprayag, Sub-District Magistrate Ukhimath and Executive Engineer Public Works Department, Ukhimath, the current condition of the travel route has been described as extremely sensitive and risky.
The Masta-Madyamaheshwar walking route is approximately 14.50 kilometers long, from Talsari Tok to Madyamaheshwar Dham via Gaundhar, Bantoli, and Khunnu. Cutting work is underway in the initial 5-kilometer stretch of the route, of which approximately 3.5 kilometers have been cut. Currently, this work has been halted due to ongoing pilgrimage operations, but landslides are occurring continuously at several locations from Talsari Tok to Bantoli.
The report said that many devotees and travellers are ignoring safety warnings and forcibly passing through landslide-prone areas and trying to take photographs and selfies at risky places, due to which there is a possibility of a serious accident at any time.
Additionally, a temporary wooden bridge over the Morkhanda River in Bantoli was washed away on July 24th due to the river’s rising water level. Since then, passenger movement has been conducted via manual trolleys. The trolleys have a capacity of only two people at a time. Currently, due to the Sawan, Kanwar Yatra, and holidays, a large number of devotees are arriving at the shrine, creating overcrowding, chaos, and panic at the trolley site. Serious security challenges have arisen, with passengers frequently mistreating trolley operators and workers and competing for selfies.
The Public Works Department, Ukhimath, has also been informed that the trolley at Gaundhar urgently needs repair and maintenance work for safe operation, requiring a minimum of two to three days. Considering these circumstances, the district administration has taken precautionary measures and decided to postpone the Shri Madyamaheshwar Dham Yatra until further notice, to avoid any potential accidents or loss of life.
District Magistrate Rudraprayag has directed the concerned departments to ensure widespread publicity of the order. Adequate security personnel should be deployed along the pilgrimage route, barricades should be erected, warning and information boards should be installed, and pilgrims should be informed of the travel cancellations in a timely manner. He has also directed the police, revenue, public works departments, and other related departments to coordinate with each other and ensure strict compliance with the order.
The district administration has appealed to the devotees and the general public to give top priority to their safety and fully follow the orders regarding travel suspension and plan their journey only after getting updated information about the weather and travel.