Dehradun: A key bridge over the Tamak stream on the Jyotirmath-Malari highway in Chamoli district has been swept away by heavy rains, crippling connectivity to more than half a dozen border villages. The route, crucial for supplying essentials to remote settlements and military outposts along the India-China border, now stands completely blocked.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has initiated urgent restoration efforts, but persistent rainfall continues to disrupt progress. Villagers report repeated hardships due to recurring landslides and road collapses in the past month, despite assurances of swift repair work.
Meanwhile, Char Dham pilgrimage routes remain shut, with highways in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Bageshwar battered by landslides. The Gangotri National Highway is blocked at Dharasu, Netala, Chadethi, and Bhatwari, while only light vehicles are moving between Harshil and Dharali. The Yamunotri route too is obstructed at multiple points, including Silai Band and Junglechatti.
In Kumaon, rising waters in Sher Nala and Surya Nala have snapped traffic on the Haldwani–Chorgalia–Sitarganj highway, worsening the crisis.
The IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Dehradun has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall across nine districts, including Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar. Authorities have cautioned people living along the Alaknanda, Ganga, Yamuna, and other rivers to stay vigilant, as rescue and relief teams remain on high alert.
The State Disaster Management Authority has mobilized all district administrations for relief, rescue, and rehabilitation operations, with police issuing continuous warnings through loudspeakers in vulnerable areas.
