Sunday, 31 July 2022 | PNS | Dehradun | Joshimath
Badrinath highway blocked after after being reopened for four hours
The national highway to Badrinath which was blocked for about 22 hours since Friday at Lambagad Nala could be reopened for a brief four hours before it was closed again. Intermittent heavy rainfall in the region has severely affected the national highway to Badrinath also raising questions at the much touted all-weather road project. Those undertaking the pilgrimage to Badrinath are facing major inconvenience due to the closure of the national highway. Meanwhile, at least 218 roads are blocked in various parts of the State.
The national highway to Badrinath was closed to traffic on Friday afternoon after Khachda Nala and Lambagad Nala swollen by the rain washed away about 15 metres of the road. The consistent rainfall also prevented the mechanical excavators deployed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) from reopening the highway. As the weather cleared a bit on Saturday morning, the work on reopening the highway was started. Rocks were filled in the Lambagad stream at 12 PM to enable the movement of traffic. However, as the mountain stream swelled up again the traffic was closed at 4 PM.
Meanwhile, according to information received from the State Emergency Operation Centre, at least 218 roads were closed in various parts of the State on Saturday evening. Twenty rural motor roads were blocked in Uttarkashi district while one State highway and 17 rural motor roads were blocked in Nainital district and one rural motor road was blocked in Almora district. Apart from the national highway to Badrinath, 49 rural motor roads are blocked in the Chamoli district whereas two State highways, two other district roads and 23 rural motor roads are blocked in the Dehradun district. In the Champawat district, one other district road and three rural motor roads were blocked while one State highway, three other roads and 23 rural motor roads were blocked in the Pauri district. In the Rudraprayag district, the steel girder bridge on Uttarkashi-Tehri-Ghansali-Mayali-Tilwada motor road is damaged and closed to traffic. Apart from this, five State highways and 22 rural motor roads are blocked in the district. Similarly, two state highways and eight rural motor roads are blocked in Tehri district while two main district roads and five rural motor roads are blocked in the Bageshwar district. Two border roads and 14 rural motor roads are blocked in the Pithoragarh district.
