The Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district was temporarily suspended on Wednesday after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall blocked the trekking route near Gaurikund. Authorities immediately halted the movement of pilgrims in the affected stretch and shifted devotees to safe locations as a precautionary measure.
According to officials, boulders and rocks came crashing down on the Yatra route near Chhodi, around one kilometre beyond Gaurikund, on July 22. The debris completely blocked the pathway, prompting the administration to suspend the pilgrimage until the route can be cleared and declared safe.
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said that as soon as information about the landslide was received, pilgrims were stopped at secure locations to prevent any casualties. He added that teams from the Public Works Department (PWD) and other concerned agencies were immediately deployed to remove the debris and restore the route at the earliest.
Rajwar said the situation is being closely monitored by the District Disaster Management Authority and local police, which are carrying out relief and safety operations on high alert. He also informed that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been kept on standby for immediate deployment if required.
The district administration has appealed to devotees to remain patient and strictly follow official instructions. Authorities have made it clear that the pilgrimage will resume only after a thorough safety assessment confirms that the trekking route is completely secure for movement.
This is the second such disruption on the Kedarnath route within a week. Earlier, the same stretch near Chhaudi, between Gaurikund and Cheelbasa, was closed after another landslide sent boulders and debris onto the path. The route was reopened later that day after debris clearance and safety inspections were completed.
The Sonprayag-Gaurikund corridor has witnessed repeated landslide incidents during this year's pilgrimage season. In May, multiple landslides struck the region overnight, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 10,000 pilgrims from the corridor in a large-scale rescue operation involving the NDRF and SDRF.
Officials say such incidents are common during the monsoon as the Kedarnath Yatra passes through steep Himalayan terrain that is highly vulnerable to landslides, rockfalls, and soil erosion. Continuous rainfall often weakens mountain slopes, increasing the risk of debris slides and making temporary suspension of the pilgrimage necessary to ensure the safety of devotees.
The administration has urged pilgrims to stay updated through official advisories and avoid travelling toward the affected route until clearance is issued. Restoration work is underway, and authorities are working to reopen the route as soon as weather conditions improve and all necessary safety checks are completed.
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