Uttarakhand: Traffic movement suspended on Rishikesh-Chamba NH to clear boulders

Tehri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) [India], August 23 (ANI): The Rishikesh-Chamba National Highway was closed for traffic at Bagaddhar to clear boulders following a landslide, an official said on Wednesday. 

“NH94 Rishikesh-Chamba is closed at Bagaddhar. Work is in progress to clear the boulders”, said Brijesh Bhatt, Tehri District Disaster Officer while speaking to ANI.

Meanwhile, the Rishikesh-Srinagar, NH-58 was also closed to clear boulders, Bhatt added. 

A total of 12 village link roads are closed due to boulders following landslides, said the District Disaster Officer. 

Earlier on Tuesday, amid incessant rainfall in parts of Uttarakhand, a portion of the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway-58 between Purusadi in Chamoli district was damaged. 

According to the district administration, a 250-metre stretch of the highway in Purusadi was damaged because of which the local administration had to suspend the movement of traffic.

Earlier, on Sunday, the road near Tayya Pul Govindghat on Badrinath National Highway was blocked due to a debris pile-up in the Chamoli district.

The day before, traffic on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway-58 was suspended following a landslide from the mountain in the Totaghati area of Tehri Garhwal district.

Amid a red alert for heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, district magistrates have been urged to take precautions in their respective districts.

River drains are in spate in many districts of Uttarakhand, due to heavy rains since Monday night.

Pauri’s Senior Superintendant of Police Shweta Choubey has appealed to people to get information about the weather and routes before travelling. She said that due to heavy rains, the river drains in the district were in spate. 

The IMD had issued an orange alert for Dehradun, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat and Bageshwar districts while a yellow alert has been issued for Haridwar, Tehri, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar and Pithoragarh districts.

An official estimate earlier put the toll from rain-related incidents in the state at 52 while 37 people were reported to have sustained injuries.