New Delhi: After two consecutive days of massive landslides, the Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand, which had been closed for 58 hours, has now reopened for pedestrian traffic. The highway closure had stranded approximately 3,000 pilgrims along the route between Joshimath and the Badrinath shrine. The relentless efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) aided in resuming pedestrian movement has been restored, with vehicular traffic expected to resume by Thursday afternoon. Many personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are aiding pilgrims and polling parties in crossing the landslide-affected zones on foot.Meanwhile, a video has surfaced across social media platforms where it can be seen that rescue workers involved in clearing the debris from the Badrinath highway, narrowly escaped another landslide. The horrifyig video wil give send chills down your spine.Narrow escape for workers who working to clear Highway after yesterdays Landslide in Badrinath, Uttarakhand#Landslide #earthquake #ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/txzPGVC3CN— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) July 11, 2024Major landslide led to road blockageOn Wednesday, a significant landslide near the Patalganga-Langsi tunnel caused heavy boulders and debris to block the highway. This incident compounded the blockage caused by another massive landslide near Joshimath on Tuesday, which had already halted vehicular movement. The highway was extensively damaged, with about 30 meters of the road rendered impassable, prompting continuous efforts from the authorities to clear the debris and restore access to the Badrinath shrine.BRO clears debris, restores pedestrian accessThe BRO has successfully cleared the debris, enabling pedestrian movement near the Chungidhar area of Joshimath. This section had been blocked since July 9 due to the landslides, leaving pilgrims stranded. The tireless efforts of the BRO personnel have facilitated the safe passage of over 200 pilgrims by Thursday morning. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is actively assisting pilgrims in navigating the landslide-affected zones.Pilgrim progress after 58 hoursFollowing 58 hours of strenuous efforts, authorities are optimistic about resuming vehicular traffic later today, contingent on further clearance operations and favorable weather conditions. To ensure the safety of travelers, police and SDRF personnel are closely monitoring the passage through the landslide-prone areas.Continuous rains pose major challenge to BRO Despite progress in reopening the highway, ongoing challenges remain. Recent heavy rains have triggered additional landslides, exacerbating road closures at Langsi, Bhanerpani, Pagal Nala, and Peepalkoti in the Chamoli district. The BRO, local administration, and police are working tirelessly to clear these blockages amid unpredictable weather, with forecasts suggesting further complications in the coming days.Stranded pilgrims receive aidThe series of landslides has activated several hazardous zones on the Badrinath Highway, hampering vehicular movement and stranding hundreds of pilgrims. Approximately 3,000 pilgrims are stuck between Joshimath and Peepalkoti due to the highway closure. In response, the administration distributed over 3,500 food packets to the stranded pilgrims on Wednesday night. Many pilgrims found shelter in nearby hotels, while some spent the night in their vehicles. Chandrashekhar Vashishth, SDM Chamoli, stated that vehicular movement is anticipated to resume by Thursday afternoon.
