Uttarakhand: Kedarnath Yatra suspended after landslide damages route

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], July 4 (ANI): The Kedarnath Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand was temporarily halted on Friday after a landslide damaged the pedestrian track near Chhodi Gadhere, about one kilometre ahead of Gaurikund, according to Rudraprayag Police. Authorities stated that due to the landslide, the path leading to the sacred shrine of Kedarnath had become unsafe for pilgrims, leading officials to suspend movement along the route until further notice.

In a post on X, Rudraprayag Police wrote, "The pedestrian track at Chhodi Gadhere, one kilometre ahead of Gaurikund, has been damaged due to a landslide, as a result of which, the Kedarnath Dham Yatra has been temporarily halted." A day earlier, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the Uttarakhand government had decided to temporarily suspend the Char Dham Yatra due to adverse weather conditions.
CM Dhami noted that the safety of the pilgrims is the government's priority.

"Considering the weather, the Char Dham yatra has been temporarily halted. In the future, we will proceed with the yatra in accordance with the weather. When the yatra is safe, it will continue... Our priority during the yatra is the safety of all pilgrims... All our district officials, disaster management teams, National Disaster Response Force, and State Disaster Response Force are fully prepared", Dhami told reporters on Thursday.
This year, the Kedarnath Dham has witnessed an influx of pilgrims, which officials attribute to both improved facilities and growing spiritual interest.
Authorities have also deployed enhanced security and medical response teams to manage the high-altitude yatra effectively.

The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located at an altitude of over 11,000 feet in the Himalayas and holds immense religious significance. The Kedarnath Yatra doors for the year 2025 were opened for devotees on May 2. (ANI)