PILGRIMS STRANDED AS BADRINATH NATIONAL HIGHWAY CLOSED DUE TO ROCKFALL

The Badrinath National Highway was closed on Saturday morning due to a rockfall at Birhi, Uttarakhand. The highway was closed for about three hours due to the falling boulders and debris. However, it has been restored and is now open for traffic.

The closure of the highway affected pilgrims traveling to the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines. The Gangotri-Yamunotri highway was also closed for several hours on Friday.

Pilgrims are advised to check the highway and weather conditions before embarking on the yatra. The Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams opened on April 22, 2023. The Kedarnath Dham will open on April 25, 2023 and the Badrinath Dham will open on April 27, 2023.

The doli carrying the idol of Kedarnath Baba was welcomed at the Vishwanath temple due to the closure of the highway. The doli will reach Phata on Saturday in the second leg of its journey. It will reach Gaurikund on April 23, 2023 and Kedarnath Dham on April 24, 2023. The doors of Kedarnath Dham will be opened for devotees on April 25, 2023 at 6:20 AM.

The rockfall occurred at around 9:00 AM on Saturday morning. The debris blocked the highway for about three hours. The highway was cleared by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) and reopened at around 12:00 PM.

The closure of the highway caused traffic congestion and delays for pilgrims. Some pilgrims were forced to spend the night in their vehicles.

The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has warned that the Badrinath National Highway is prone to landslides and rockfalls. Pilgrims are advised to check the weather conditions and highway status before embarking on the yatra.