50 roads blocked in Uttarakhand

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 21 

Due to heavy rain in the past few days, several rural roads have been blocked whereas the Badrinath-Rishikesh National Highway that was closed on Friday was opened to small vehicles.  

While more than 50 rural roads were blocked, the roads to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Rudraprayag were opened.     

According to information provided  by the Department of Disaster Management, Chamoli witnessed heavy rain and cloudburst, and  around  15 village roads were still blocked. The affected families in Kundi and Ghat were staying at relief camps. 

In Uttarkashi, after the damage to a bridge in Yamunotri, the movement of pilgrims began through another bridge. 

In Rudraprayag, five rural roads were  blocked while in Dehradun (Chakrata) four, Tehri two, Pauri six, Bageshwar four,  Pithoragarh eight and in Almora two roads were blocked. 

In Pithoragarh district, eight rural roads were still affected and 86 families were residing in relief camps. 

Further, the  fifth batch of pilgrims, numbering  59,   returning from the Kailash Mansarovar yatra were still stuck at Gunji.  

The sixth batch  comprising 55 pilgrims was also waiting at Gunji for the homeward journey. The helicopter, which was to ferry these pilgrims, could not take off due to  inclement weather. 

The Meteorological Department has forecast a wet spell for a week. Heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast for tomorrow in Dehradun, Pithoragarh, Haridwar, Bageshwar and Pauri.