The Yatra to the shrines of Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, and the Sikh pilgrimage of Hemkund Sahib, on Thursday was postponed for two days as a precautionary measure following a weather warning of heavy/very heavy rainfall.
On Wednesday, the Yatra to the Kedarnath shrine had been postponed for three days owing to blocked roads and rising water level in the Mandakini river.
Piyoosh Rautela, Executive Director, State Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC), said, “The India Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi, has warned of adverse weather condition over the next two days, so, we had to postpone the Char Dham Yatra for the safety of the pilgrims.”
The Yatra to Badrinath remained halted on Thursday. Chamoli District Magistrate S.A. Murugesan said, “The Yatra has been postponed for the next two days, but, it might extend till July 21.”
Mr. Murugesan said that though there was not much rainfall on the Badrinath route, traffic was being regulated at Joshimath for the safety of the pilgrims.
More than the rainfall the fresh landslips have been worrying the authorities. Director of the Dehradun Meteorological Centre Anand Sharma said, “Due to continuous rainfall in the last few days, landslides will increase.”
