Udaipur family's Char Dham pilgrimage ends in tragedy as tempo traveller plunges into Alaknanda; 12 feared dead
According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), three bodies have been recovered so far, identified as Vishal Soni (41), Dreamy (17), and Gauri Soni (41). Nine pilgrims remain missing, while eight injured individuals have been hospitalised four of them in critical condition. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi confirmed that, despite extensive efforts, the submerged Tempo Traveller has yet to be located in the river.
'We received information about the accident around 7:30 AM. Our teams, along with the police and district administration, immediately launched a rescue operation with the help of divers,' Yaduvanshi stated. 'However, the strong currents and inaccessible terrain are posing significant difficulties in our relief efforts.'
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar provided an update on the casualties, saying, 'Three individuals have succumbed to their injuries, including two women. Eight injured have been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for treatment.'
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Deccan Herald
19 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
The Char Dham warning: Climate resilience must begin with the locals
The recent devastating visuals from the Dharali and Harshil valleys call for an immediate impact assessment and urgent investment in climate-resilient infrastructure. As one of the first pilgrims to embark on the Char Dham Yatra this year, I share a few ground realities that seem to have been taken for granted. .In the early days of the yatra, the Uttarakhand government introduced a token system to register every visitor. Irrespective of who was organising the tour, each individual had to register using their Aadhar number, providing full itinerary details as well as the mode of transport. This ensured that toll-like booths were set up well before entry points to each dham, where tokens could be conveniently scanned. It was an effective mechanism for crowd management while also generating valuable big data about tourist as the weeks passed, the system appears not to have been taken seriously, owing to a range of factors. In the initial weeks of the yatra -- when locals and domestic tourists constituted about 40 per cent of the total pilgrims and visitors making the journey between April 30 and October 23 – the state government was compelled to mobilise resources. Young college students were deployed to man registration booths, and extra police personnel were brought from distant regions. On our own journey, we often gave travellers a ride, including police personnel posted temporarily in the Char Dham circuit. We also helped locals transit short distances, as they held in their handwoven baskets their household or village deities. I still recall the young woman, Hema, who sat quietly by the Anand Bhairav temple in Bhairo Ghat. .Gangotri stands at a higher elevation compared to the other dhams. The second dham (moving clockwise and from west to east), as part of the Char Dham Yatra, greets you with her white, sparkling, bubbling energy. Scientists studying how glaciers and geology affect land masses, the flow of rivers and migratory patterns have long provided data about the receding glaciers here. .Harshil, often called the Switzerland of the region, basks in the glory of the majestic ranges and the River Bhagirathi flowing through the town. It is one of the last towns before the Chinese border. Geographically, this region holds importance as the birthplace of the mighty Ganga that feeds and nourishes the plains below and for the defence infrastructure installations due to the proximity to the China border. .The growth of the Char Dham circuit has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. In 2007, I remember my journey vividly to the Valley of Flowers, Hemkund, and Badrinath. Going back after 18 years felt like driving into the Himalayas without the bumpy pothole-ridden roads, with better buses and a number of food options to choose from along the route. I couldn't help but compare this to the roads leading up to Mt Cook in the Southern Island of New Zealand and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado (similar altitude of 13,000 feet) – accessible, motorable, yet the sheer numbers of buses and people are puts significant pressure on the local economies; hence, when a climate extreme event strikes, it is the locals that are most impacted. The night that we halted in Gangotri, we received an alert from the NDMA: 'Heavy rainfall in the Uttarkashi region. Please follow all precautions and stay alert.' Of course, the locals shrugged it off, saying this was the season for rains, yet we braced up for the unforeseen future, informing family back home, charging mobiles in case of power outages and stocking up on food and water. That morning, the weather seemed fine, and as we rode back towards Uttarkashi, we were stopped by a friendly police person at Bhairo Ghat to request a ride for a young lady who stayed at Dharali en route. We opened the door of the vehicle to let Hema in, and she smiled at us. We waved back enthusiastically to Hema as she alighted to head to her village, keeping her basket close to her under her woollen shawl. We hope her gods have kept her safe. .Local knowledge systems, their beliefs and their acumen about climate extremities must be used to act as catalysts for preparedness in such situations. Corporates and governments invest in building adaptation mechanisms, yet climate resilience calls for working with local communities in helping shift the power to make them equally responsible to advocate for issues that could inevitably come in the way of coping with climate extremities. Rampant real estate development, for example, very close to the course of the river, should be strictly banned on all accounts. Heavy fines should be levied, and locals should have a say should outside-the-state entities or large conglomerates like hospitality chains choose to develop large-scale properties in the region. The Himalayas are young, moving mountain chains; the rivers that originate from here constantly change the course of their direction, yet humans claim to be permanent beings in this grand scheme of things by building concrete structures that will crumble like a pack of cards when nature's fury is unravelled. .(The writer is a climate communication speaker and course director while serving as an expert committee advisor on building climate curriculums in a range of educational institutes)
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Land subsidence on Uttarkashi route sparks safety fears ahead of monsoon
DEHRADUN: A fresh wave of concern has gripped Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district as land subsidence was reported on a key road connecting Bhatwari to Gangnani. About one kilometre beyond Salang bridge, significant ground sinking has begun, raising alarms among locals and travellers ahead of the monsoon season. Visible cracks mar the road surface, with a section caving in, posing a serious risk to traffic. The route is a lifeline for local villages and a crucial part of the Char Dham Yatra, serving pilgrims heading to Gangotri and Yamunotri. A spokesperson for the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) confirmed: 'Disaster relief teams equipped with necessary tools have been dispatched to the site.' The incident comes as Uttarakhand's Himalayan region continues to face geological instability. The recent crisis in Joshimath highlighted the area's fragility, where unplanned construction, heavy rainfall, landslides, and river erosion contribute to ground subsidence. Experts note that the young, tectonically active Himalayan range is prone to such events, with heavy rains saturating soil and reducing its load-bearing capacity. Jai Prakash Singh Panwar, District Disaster Management Officer, Uttarkashi, said: 'We received information about land subsidence on the Bhatwari-Gangnani road. Our team conducted an initial assessment and found the situation to be serious. Clear cracks and sinking are visible, which could be dangerous for vehicle movement. The District Magistrate and BRO have inspected the site, and remedial measures are underway.' Panwar added: 'We have immediately informed the Border Roads Organization (BRO), as this route falls under their jurisdiction. BRO teams will soon conduct a detailed survey and commence necessary repair work. Our priority is to secure the road and ensure smooth traffic flow, particularly given the upcoming Char Dham Yatra season. We have also requested BRO to install barricades and warning signs.' Environmentalist Chandan Nayal from Okhalkanda said: 'Such challenges are a constant in Uttarakhand's mountainous regions and cannot be addressed by temporary repairs alone. We need to adopt more sustainable and eco-friendly development models, keeping in mind the geological sensitivity of this region.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Landslides strand 200 tourists in Rudraprayag, disrupt highways in Uttarkashi
1 2 Dehradun/Uttarkashi: Heavy rain triggered multiple landslides in Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi on Sunday, stranding pilgrims and blocking key routes to Himalayan shrines. In Rudraprayag, approximately 200 tourists were stranded on the trek to the Madmaheshwar temple after a landslide occurred around 1 pm. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams reached the spot and began evacuating people. "By evening, about 150 tourists had been rescued and shifted to a safe location. The remaining will be evacuated soon," said SDRF officer Vinit Vaibhav. "The team is closely monitoring the situation at the spot to respond to any emergency." Meanwhile, traffic remained paralysed on the Gangotri National Highway, where fresh landslides near Nalupani kept the road blocked throughout the day. Traffic was also halted at Netala and Ratudisera around 6 am, but was restored within four to five hours. The stretch beyond Dabrani has already been shut for 13 days due to heavy rain and landslides. " by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo Around 32 roads in the district are blocked due to rain. BRO machines are at work, but clearance at Nalupani is proving difficult as debris continues to slide," said district disaster management officer Shardul Gusain. Officials added that a 100-metre stretch near the Salang bridge ahead of Bhatwadi has developed large cracks, further restricting movement. Communication networks in Uttarkashi, including in Rudraprayag, were also down for nearly seven hours on Sunday. In a separate incident in Uttarkashi, a 33-year-old man, Shyam Lal, died after his two-wheeler plunged into a gorge, likely due to slippery roads. "A joint SDRF–DDRF team recovered the body and sent it for autopsy before handing it over to his family," Vaibhav said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
