JOIN USAbout 540 pilgrims will have to drop their plan to trek to Kailash Manasarovar, as the monsoon mayhem in Uttarakhand forced the government on Wednesday to cancel nine of the 18 batches of annual pilgrimage to the holy place in Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The first batch of about 60 pilgrims on Wednesday proceeded to Gunji at Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand after being stranded at Bundi due to inclement weather. The government is yet to take a call on whether they would continue the trek towards Lipulekh Pass to cross over to TAR in China and proceed towards Kailash Manasarovar.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that torrential rains and flooding in Uttarakhand had damaged the roads along the route followed by pilgrims of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
“The road between Almora and the road-head at Tawaghat has been washed away at several places and some major bridges damaged. Walking trails beyond Tawaghat have also suffered badly due to land-slides at several places. The state and local administrative authorities estimate that the restoration work may take up to one month,” the MEA stated in a press release on Wednesday.
“Since the safety and security of the Yatris are of paramount importance, the ministry has decided to cancel Batch Nos. 2-10 of this year’s Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra,” it added. The MEA, which organises the Yatra, took the decision after consultation with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and State Government of Uttarakhand.