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The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Dharali flash floods: 43 missing, 1,308 rescued, says Uttarakhand govt.
Seven days after flash floods hit Dharali village of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, the district administration issued a list of 43 persons missing from the spot along with 1,308 people rescued since August 5. Commissioner of the Garhwal region, Vinay Shankar Pandey said that so far, 43 people were reported missing in this disaster. The body of Akash Panwar, a youth from Dharali village, had been recovered. Financial assistance had been provided to the family of the deceased youth, he said. 'Those missing include nine Army personnel, eight locals from Dharali and five from nearby areas, one person from Tehri district, 13 from Bihar and six from Uttar Pradesh,' he added. Also, 29 Nepali labourers were reported missing from Dharali, out of which five persons had been contacted after the mobile network was restored. Details about the remaining 24 labourers had not been received from their contractors, the official said. Citing the example of 2013 Kedarnath disaster, Mr. Pandey said many people who were reported missing at that time later returned to their homes. 'Efforts are also being made to find out the missing people of other States by collecting their home addresses. The final facts about these people are expected to be clear in a day or two,' he said. He said 1,308 people had been rescued from various locations by teams comprising the SDRF, ITBP, Army and police. Those rescued were mostly tourists who were at Uttarkashi to visit Gangotri and Yamunotri temples, as part of ongoing the Char Dham yatra. 'Search for people buried under the debris is the top priority of the government. We have deployed a separate officer along with the NDRF team for this purpose at Dharali. The IG of SDRF is also camping at the spot. A special team of 10 expert geologists has been sent from Dehradun to Dharali to know the cause of the flash floods,' Mr. Pandey added. The Commissioner said distribution of ex gratia of ₹5 lakh had been started to all those affected by the disaster. 'As per the announcement of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, a better package of relief and rehabilitation is being prepared for the affected people. We have set up a high-level committee for the same. The members of the committee will reach Uttarkashi soon to assess the damage caused by the disaster and to talk to the affected people,' he said. Meanwhile, a machine and its driver fell in the swollen river while repairing a road near Dharali on Monday. The whereabouts of the driver could not be found till the time of filing this report. This led to protest by construction workers at the site who were later pacified by the administration. The construction of the Bailey bridge in Limchyagad was completed on July 10. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department predicted heavy rains and thunderstorms in various areas of Uttarakhand from July 10 to 14. Orange and red alerts were issued for Bageshwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar districts. Rivers across the State are already flowing near the danger mark.
Hindustan Times
07-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘My hotel flowed away like a leaf': Uttarakhand man who was at temple when tragedy struck
Uttarakhand's Dharali village was one of the worst-hit areas when a cloudburst led to flash floods and mudslides in Uttarkashi on Tuesday. Among the many structures that were swept away in the floods on Tuesday — several horrifying videos of which are making rounds on social media — was a 40-room hotel run by a man named Jai Bhagwan. He narrowly escaped being caught up in the tragedy as he went to visit a nearby temple. A view of the flash flood that struck Dharali village in the Kheer Gad area near Harsil following a cloudburst, in Uttarkashi on Tuesday.( File/ANI) On Tuesday, when no one turned up to his hotel in the market area of Dharali, Bhagwan went to a nearby temple to celebrate a local festival, reported The Indian Express. Around 1.40 pm, all hell broke loose on Dharali while a massive mudslide hit the town leading to panic and chaos among people, all the while Bhagwan was at the temple. Also read: Uttarkashi flash floods: 50+ still missing, 190 rescued amid devastation | 10 latest updates Describing what he witnessed to IE, Bhagwan said, 'First, there was a thunderous sound, and then I heard people screaming from the village nearby. They were whistling too, but we were clueless. Then came massive waves of mud, water, and rocks.' Unaware of the magnitude of the disaster, Bhagwan rushed to his home only to find out that the water had reached there as well. Later, he hurriedly went to Harsil village on foot. His four-storey hotel was washed away in the mudslide, a video of which he saw later. 'In the video, my hotel is seen being washed away. It was a 40-room hotel, but it flowed away like a leaf,' he said. Also read: Battered infra hobbles rescue ops in Uttarakhand; many missing Over the next few hours, Bhagwan kept calling his family to ensure that they were safe, however, they became unavailable after 4 pm on Tuesday. Fortunately, the hotels in the area were mostly empty due to low tourist footfall amid monsoon, which are otherwise usually booked during the Char Dham yatra, according to Bhagwan. 'In other months, my hotel is completely booked when the Char Dham yatra is going on. Even my staff and nephew, who manages the hotel, were not present, fortunately,' the report quoted him as saying. 190 rescued, over 50 missing in Uttarkashi The rescue operations in the flood-hit areas in Uttarkashi entered their third day on Thursday. So far, 190 people, which includes 11 army personnel, have been rescued from the Dharali area, according to officials. Over 50 people are still missing. According to the NDRF North India Command Head Gambhir Chauhan, dog squads and veterinary doctors are being sent at the disaster site along with satellite phones as communication remains a challenge there. 'It was a huge tragedy. SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, Army and local administration are involved in joint rescue efforts,' he told PTI.
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Time of India
Chopper crash toll highest in U'khand, 21 dead in 5 yrs
Dehradun: Uttarakhand has emerged as India's most helicopter accident-prone state, accounting for seven of the 12 major chopper crashes reported nationwide over the past five years, according to data shared in Rajya Sabha by Union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol. Of the 30 deaths in these incidents across India, 21 died in Uttarakhand alone. Maharashtra recorded four crashes with seven deaths, while Chhattisgarh saw one crash resulting in two casualties. The alarming figures have renewed concerns over aviation safety in the hill state, especially during the annual Char Dham yatra. One of the deadliest crashes occurred in Oct 2022, when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims to Kedarnath crashed on a hill, killing all seven onboard. This year, two fatal crashes on May 8 in Uttarkashi and on June 15 near Kedarnath have already claimed 13 lives. These incidents were among five helicopter mishaps reported on the yatra route in just 45 days. In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped up safety audits and surveillance of helicopter operations in high-risk and pilgrimage zones. Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (Ucada) has also announced plans to set up an Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Sahastradhara heliport -- a move that has been repeatedly recommended by Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Experts say the latest data highlights the need for urgent reforms. "With scant regard to carrying capacity, basic safety protocols and a blind pursuit of record footfall during the Char Dham yatra, the system often bends to accommodate more than it can safely handle. It's a recipe for disaster," said Anoop Nautiyal, founder of Dehradun-based Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation. A senior aviator familiar with flying conditions in Uttarakhand's mountainous terrain, who wished to remain anonymous, said a dedicated control centre should have been established at Kedarnath long ago, considering the volume of helicopter traffic to the shrine, which often exceeds 200 sorties a day. "Everyone in the aviation circuit knows that Kedar valley is India's most challenging air corridor, yet it lacks even basic safety infrastructure," he said. Aviation experts have long urged stricter regulations, better weather forecasting, high-altitude pilot training and cap on operations during adverse conditions. With pilgrim numbers rising each year, they warn that without systemic change, Uttarakhand's skies will continue to bear a deadly burden.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC seeks govt safety plan for panchayat polls amid monsoon, yatra rush
Dehradun: Uttarakhand high court on Friday directed the Panchayati Raj secretary and the director general of police (DGP) to submit a detailed report on safety measures and emergency response plans for the upcoming panchayat elections , scheduled to be held in two phases on July 24 and 28. A division bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra was hearing a petition seeking postponement of the elections citing concerns over numerous road closures during the monsoon and ongoing religious pilgrimages. The petitioner, Dr Baijnath Sharma, a resident of Haridwar, contended that the election schedule coincided with severe weather conditions, leading to road blockages and restricted movement in rural areas, which would impact election activities. Sharma also pointed to the influx of devotees for the ongoing kanwar yatra, as well as the Char Dham yatra, which is drawing thousands of visitors daily across the state, creating significant pressure on traffic and administrative resources. "The security personnel deployed for kanwar yatra, disaster-affected zones, and Char Dham yatra are already overstretched. Police and administrative staff are engaged in disaster management, panchayat election duties, and kanwariya arrangements, resulting in shortage of security forces across other districts," the petitioner said, urging that the three-tier panchayat elections be conducted in an alternative month to July. The high court directed the state govt to present an emergency management plan for safely conducting the elections before the next hearing scheduled on Tuesday.
India Gazette
07-07-2025
- India Gazette
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged of 20 new AC UTC tempo traveller
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 7 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday flagged off 20 new air-conditioned UTC Mini (Tempo Traveller) being operated by Uttarakhand Transport Corporation at a function organised by the Chief Minister's Camp Office. He said, 'This will prove to be a very important step towards strengthening the state's transport system. With this initiative, not only will our tourists be able to enjoy the seamless facility while travelling, but this will also infuse new energy into the economic and tourism activities here... Due to Char Dham yatra, or any other occasion, Dehradun witnesses a large number of footfall...' Out of these, 10 Tempo Traveller vehicles will run on the Dehradun-Mussoorie route and 10 Tempo Traveller vehicles on the Haldwani-Nainital route. This will also reduce the problem of jams between Nainital-Haldwani and Dehradun-Mussoorie. The Chief Minister said that if this initiative is successful, the number of such services will be increased further. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also travelled from the camp office to the GTC helipad by Tempo Traveller. 'Based on its results, we will carry this initiative further and will also increase the number of mini travellers... This traveller is very convenient, and everyone will be able to enjoy the trip at an affordable price. For better transportation, we are soon going to purchase 100 more buses', he added. The Chief Minister said that the air-conditioned Tempo Traveller will prove to be important in strengthening the transport system of the state. These will provide safe, smooth and economical travel to the passengers and will also promote the economic and tourism activities of the state. He also added that the government is trying to connect every area of the state with better road networks and reliable transport services. Today, the Transport Department is providing easy travel to the public through services like digital ticketing, online booking, and tracking systems. The CM highlighted that continuous work is being done towards strengthening the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation. As a result, the Transport Corporation has been in profit for three consecutive years. The Chief Minister also added that electric buses will also be included in the bus fleet of the Transport Corporation soon, for which the process of purchasing buses is in progress. The government has resolved many problems for its employees and drivers-conductors. Be it increasing DA, implementing the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission or increasing human resources through recruitment in the corporation, work is being done for their welfare with full commitment. (ANI)
