Heavy rainfall alert issued in Uttarakhand; Kedarnath pedestrian route disrupted
Dehradun, July 22
The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for isolated heavy rainfall on Wednesday in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Nainital, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand.
It has also forecast thunderstorms, lightning and spells of heavy to very heavy rain across several other parts of the state.
According to the Meteorological Department, the prevailing weather conditions are expected to continue until July 25.
Persistent rainfall over the past few days has led to a noticeable dip in temperatures in Dehradun. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 30.9 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature settled at 24.1 degrees Celsius.
Dehradun received heavy rainfall on Tuesday, with intense showers during the night severely affecting normal life in the Raipur and Rajpur areas.
The downpour caused drains to overflow, leading to waterlogging on several roads, while rainwater entered homes in a number of localities.
The heavy rain also made commuting difficult, with motorists facing major inconvenience due to inundated roads and poor driving conditions.
The impact of the rain was felt across Uttarakhand, where 142 roads were closed on Tuesday because of weather-related disruptions. By evening, authorities had managed to restore traffic on 54 of those roads.
Meanwhile, operations related to the Char Dham Yatra resumed smoothly on Tuesday morning after weather conditions improved.
Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop had temporarily suspended the Char Dham Yatra following the heavy rainfall on Monday. After an assessment of the situation, the pilgrimage resumed in coordination with district administrations and other concerned departments. Officials are maintaining continuous surveillance of the pilgrimage routes to ensure the safety of devotees.
Authorities also reopened the Dehradun-Mussoorie road, although vehicular movement is currently being regulated through a one-way traffic system. The traffic restrictions have resulted in long queues of vehicles, with congestion extending for several kilometres.
Heavy rainfall during the night in the Kedar Valley also affected the Kedarnath Yatra. The pedestrian route to the shrine was blocked near Chhaudi, around one kilometre beyond Gaurikund, after boulders and debris came crashing onto the trekking path, disrupting the movement of pilgrims.
As a precaution, the administration stopped pilgrims at designated safe locations while restoration work began on the affected stretch. Officials said that immediately after receiving information about the incident, teams from the concerned departments reached the spot and launched operations to remove debris and boulders from the route.
The administration said the situation is being monitored continuously and that the Kedarnath Yatra will resume along the affected stretch only after the route has been fully cleared and declared safe for movement. Pilgrims have also been advised to strictly follow all weather advisories and safety guidelines issued by the administration before continuing their journey.
— IANS
Reader Comments
"This is why I always tell my family to avoid Char Dham Yatra in peak monsoon. Yes, the rush is less, but the risks are too high. The muscle memory of these mountains is unpredictable—one moment sunshine, next moment boulders. Also, good that the administration halted the yatra temporarily; safety over sentimentality always. 👏"
"I just returned from Kedarnath last week—the weather was perfect then. But seeing this news reminds me how blessed we were. Waterlogging in Dehradun is also a serious concern—our urban planning fails during heavy rains. Drains overflowing in 2024 is unacceptable. Local bodies need to desilt and upgrade stormwater systems before monsoon arrives every year."
"I appreciate the district administrations restoring 54 roads in a single day—that's efficient disaster response. But what about the remaining 88 roads? And the long queues on Mussoorie road—do we have enough staff to manage the one-way system? The state government should deploy additional traffic police from plains to hill stations during monsoon season. Basic logistics management can save people hours of frustration."
"As a pilgrim who was stuck near Gaurikund due to this very debris, I can confirm the situation is tense but managed well. The local volunteers from the temple trust were distributing free chai and biscuits to stranded devotees. That's the spirit of Uttarakhand! But I agree with others—the yatra season should be officially shortened to June only. July-August is too risky for everyone involved. 🌧️🚫"
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