‘Adi Kailash yatra’ permits not issued due to road blockade
‘Adi Kailash yatra’ permits not issued due to road blockade
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Sept 18
Inner line passes for undertaking ‘Adi Kailash Yatra’ were not issued even today as, the road remained closed near Tawaghat due to heavy boulders that fell on the road, according to Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
“We are waiting road to clear and if it gets clear even by tonight, the inner line passes will be issued,” said Shreshth Gunsola, SDM, Dharchula. According to the SDM, the is decision was taken on the basis of reports submitted by patrolling team of Border Roads Organisations (BRO).
More than 150 ‘Adi Kailash’ pilgrims had gathered in front of the SDM office at Dharchula and held a demonstration seeking inner line permits to undertake ‘ Adi Kailash Yatra’.
The administration had stopped issuing inner line permits after over 46 pilgrims, including 30 from Chennai, gone trapped and had to be evacuated by state helicopters, at Tawaghat due to landslides on the road towards Dharchula base camp on September 16.
Over 150 pilgrims from various places of country are camping in Dharchula awaiting weather to clear to undertake the yatra that has been stopped by administration after getting reports of shooting boulders at various places on the yatra route.
The pilgrims are being catered by private tour operators as the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the state government undertaking, has not started taking pilgrims before 23rd September this year.
The second phase of ‘Adi Kailash Yatra’, that was started from first week of this month, needs inner line permit from administration to reach high Himalayan region of of Kuti, where the ‘Adi Kailash’ peak is located.”We have decided to issue permits only after we get reports from Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that the road is clear and vehicular traffic could be permitted,”said Sheresth Gunsola, acting SDM of Dharchula.
According to SDM, the patrolling parties of BRO, that were sent to Tawaghat today to find condition of road to Gunji, have reported that boulders were falling at some places near Tawaghat and in such situation it will be risky to sent the pilgrims batches to high Himalayan region.
