Kinnaur Kailash Yatra closed amid heavy rains, safety concerns in district

In view of continuous rainfall and erratic weather conditions, the Kinnaur district administration today announced the closure of Kinnaur Kailash Yatra with immediate effect till further orders. In an official order issued by Kinnaur DC Dr Amit Kumar Sharma, he mentioned that following continuous incessant rainfall, shooting stones, and dense fog in the region, which have already resulted in tragic incidents and loss of lives, it has been decided to close the yatra to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

He stated that in view of the prevailing weather conditions and forecasts predicting more rainfall and cloudy conditions in the next five to seven days, immediate precautionary measures were necessary to ensure public safety. Therefore, exercising the powers under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the yatra stands closed for the year 2025 with immediate effect and will remain so unless modified by further orders.

As per the orders, any pilgrim attempting to go on the yatra route will be escorted back to the base camp, and appropriate action will be taken against violators under the Disaster Management Act. Kinnaur SP Abhishek Shekhar, in coordination with the Home Guards and DCF Kinnaur, will deploy adequate forces to ensure the safe return of pilgrims. The Kalpa SDM has been directed to coordinate with the concerned departments, tourism association, panchayats, and other stakeholders for effective closure and compliance.

Additionally, all departments, local bodies, and enforcement personnel have been directed to ensure strict implementation of the order. The district administration has appealed to the public and pilgrims to cooperate in the interest of safety and avoid any attempt to undertake the pilgrimage until further notice.