Sun Jun 29 06:15:04 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Char Dham Yatra Suspended Following Heavy Rain and Cloudburst in Uttarakhand**
**DEHRADUN, Uttarakhand, June 29, 2025 (The Hindu) -** The Char Dham Yatra has been temporarily suspended for the next 24 hours due to a heavy rain alert, officials announced on Sunday. The decision was made as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey told ANI that pilgrims are being stopped in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, and Vikasnagar.
The suspension follows a devastating cloudburst that struck Silai Band on the Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district. The cloudburst resulted in at least nine workers going missing at an under-construction hotel site in Baligarh along the Barkot-Yamunotri Marg. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed the extensive damage to the construction site.
Rescue operations are underway with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police deployed to the affected area.
Secretary of Disaster Management for Uttarakhand, Vinod Kumar Suman, confirmed the incident and stated the government is closely monitoring the situation. He assured that necessary instructions have been issued to prioritize the safety of pilgrims and residents.
Continuous rainfall on Saturday caused significant disruptions across the region, including the blockage of the National Highway near Nandprayag and Bhanerpani. Chamoli Police Uttarakhand reported that the Badrinath National Highway is blocked in these areas, and efforts are underway to clear the road, a crucial route for pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has urged the public to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel due to the forecasted heavy rainfall in the state’s hilly and some plain areas.
Following a series of accidents, the DGCA will review Char Dham Yatra helicopter operations.
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