Nearly 108 roads, including 2 national highways connecting Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, continued to remain blocked in Uttarakhand on Sunday. The highways have been blocked due to landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since the past few days.
While the Gangotri and Yamunotri highways have been obstructed for the past three days after a 10-12 meters stretch of the highway near Narendra Nagar in Tehri district was washed away, Badrinath highway was blocked at Totaghati and a couple of more places. According to the latest PWD report issued on Sunday, restoration work was being carried out at 70 roads that were blocked due to rain-related reasons.
Besides the national highways, 10 state highways, 14 district roads, 49 village roads and 33 roads constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) were reported blocked due to landslides. PWD chief engineer Hariom Sharma told TOI, “ We are monitoring the situation and are in touch with officials looking after relief work at all the routes which got blocked after landslides and rains. Every effort is being made to streamline the traffic at the earliest.”
Officials involved in opening up the blocked roads said that their work was being hampered due to continuous rainfall. “Even if we clear the debris, more rubble falls after fresh rain. The roads can be opened up fully only after the rainfall subsides. Till that time, people should travel in the hills only if it is absolutely necessary,” said an official. (TOI)
