Hundreds of pilgrims are feared stranded after a landslide occurred near Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district blocking the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway.
District Collector Ashish Joshi said that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel are engaged in clearing the roads and it could be opened for traffic by tomorrow afternoon.
He also said efforts are on to provide all necessary facilities to 1,000-1,500 pilgrims who are at Joshimath, Karnaprayag, Pipalkoti, Govindghat and Badrinath.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that there were no casualties or injuries.
No one was stranded,there were no unfortunate incidents,1800 tourists (against reported 15K) were affected & arrangements were made for them https://t.co/TGgQYYSeAv
— Trivendra S Rawat (@tsrawatbjp) May 20, 2017
The highway has been closed near Vishnuprayag, one of the five confluences of Alaknanda river. The landslide occurred here after huge boulders rolled down the Hathi Pahar mountain, filling the highway and Alaknanda river with debris, reports DNA.
The Superintendent of Police (SP) Chamoli, Tripti Bhatt, told The Times of India that the hotels, ashrams and other establishments near Badrinath can house at least one lakh pilgrims so there is no cause of worry.
(With inputs from PTI)
