Landslide damages bridge to Hemkund Sahib in Chamoli; villages cut off

A landslide on Wednesday damaged the motor bridge connecting Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and the Valley of Flowers National Park in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, officials said.

The landslide occurred around 10 am, damaging the motor bridge built on the Badrinath National Highway for the 4-km road leading from Govindghat to Pulna village, beyond which one has to walk to reach the Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers National Park, they added.

The damage to the bridge disrupted motor connectivity to Pulna village. It has also stranded dozens of vehicles on the other side of the Alaknanda river.

SDRF, PWD teams, and district administration officials have reached the spot, Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said.

The priority is to provide essential commodities and other facilities to the people living in the villages that have been cut off, including Pulna and Bhyundar, he said.

The doors of the Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara are scheduled to open on May 25.