Jawans battle heavy snow to clear Hemkund Sahib route

The Indian Army is battling heavy snow to ensure timely commencement of the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage.

The gates of Hemkund Sahib, located at an altitude of around 15,000 feet in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, will open on May 25. On May 22, the first group for the pilgrims, led by the Panj Pyare, will depart from Rishikesh, as per the tradition.

The 418 Independent Engineering Corps team of 25 Army personnel reached Govind Ghat today to undertake the task of clearing the route clogged by snow.

They have already conducted a recce on foot to gauge the situation on the trek route from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib.

As of now, Atlakoti glacier spot, 3 km ahead of Hemkund Sahib gurdwara, has been blocked by snow. It is learnt that the 6-km trek has 2-7 feet of snow, which extends from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib along the pilgrimage route.

Hemkund Sahib Management Trust Chairman Narendra Jit Singh Bindra said as of now the Atalkoti Glacier was under heavy snow. There was 10-15 feet of snow around it, while the Small Atalkoti Glacier had 5-7 feet of snow.

“There is 8-10 feet of snow around Hemkund Sahib gurdwara. The snow-clearing service is undertaken by the Army jawans, who have reached Govind Ghat. After getting acclimatised to high altitude for a day, they will leave for Hemkund Sahib gurdwara. They are expected to reach the shrine by April 21,” he said.

The Army personnel will remove snow around the shrine, followed by clearing of passage downwards. It will take around one month to clear the pedestrian passage for pilgrims. “Around 20 sevadars and cooks of the trust have already reached Govind Dham. They will accompany the Army troops to take care of other necessary arrangements,” he said.

Bindra said the bridge at the Govind Ghat, which had got damaged due to a landslide, was being reconstructed. The bridge collapse had triggered concerns among devotees. “With the efforts of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the construction of the Govind Ghat bridge, having a 30-tonne capacity, is in the final stages. It is expected to be ready by the month end,” he said.