Ban on Adi Kailash Yatra, inner line pass will not be made till June 30
Summary
Due to the forecast of heavy rain and storms in the higher Himalayan areas, authorities have issued a warning and temporarily suspended the Adi Kailash and Om Parvat Yatra in Uttarakhand.
Expansion
Due to the continuous rainfall, the authorities have imposed a ban on the Adi Kailash Yatra until June 30 in Uttarakhand. Inner line permits, necessary for the journey, will not be issued by the SDM office during this period. The decision was made by SDM Dharchula, considering the prevailing weather conditions. The Tawaghat-Lipulekh road, which connects to the China border, has also been closed for the second consecutive day. This closure has resulted in increased difficulties for the residents of seven villages in Vyas Valley and tourists. As a consequence of the unavailability of inner line permits, a tour operator and 49 passengers, along with 20 passengers of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, are currently stranded in Dharchula.
The Meteorological Department and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have issued warnings of severe rainfall and storms in the higher Himalayan areas. As a precautionary measure, the Adi Kailash and Om Parvat Yatra have been temporarily banned. Additionally, travelers and local residents planning to visit Panchachuli in Darma Valley have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel. These advisories are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals in light of the expected inclement weather conditions. It is important for everyone to heed these warnings and exercise caution until the situation improves.
Following the road closure, a total of 20 passengers from the 18th batch of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam and 49 passengers from Adi Kailash Tour Operator were unable to obtain inner line passes. Nagendra Kutiyal, the Director of Adi Kailash Tour Operator, stated that the stranded passengers, hailing from various locations such as Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Punjab, Dehradun, and Bhimtal, have been stuck in Dharchula for the past two days. The closure of the road has disrupted their travel plans, leaving them stranded in the area.
Tawaghat-Lipulekh road did not open even after two days
The Tawaghat-Lipulekh road, linking the China border, remains closed as the Border Roads Organization (BRO) faces challenges due to the presence of boulders near Lakhanpur and adverse weather conditions. The closure of the road occurred on Monday due to the accumulation of boulders and debris near the Tawaghat bridge. Consequently, residents of seven villages in Vyas Valley, as well as security personnel and numerous vehicles, find themselves stranded at both ends of the road closure. However, there is some respite as the Tawaghat-Sobla road has been reopened by the Hillways Company, bringing relief to the affected individuals. This particular road had been closed due to the increased water levels in the Dobat and Rongti drains.
Till June 30, there will be a ban on the journey to Adi Kailash and Om Parvat. Inner line permits will not be issued from the SDM office. – Divesh Shashani, SDM Dharchula.
