Border Road Organisation opens Badrinath Yatra axis on fourth day

New Delhi: Border Road Organisation (BRO) on Tuesday succeeded in opening the National Highway connecting Rudraparayag-Joshimath-Mana, the main axis of Badrinath Yatra in Uttarakhand after the road was blocked due to landslides, officials said.

The entire operation was competed in four days, official said.

The annual pilgrimage of the Chaar Dhaam in Uttarakhand was disrupted since July 1, due to heavy rains, and cloud burst which led to landslides and left over 22 people dead and 33 missing. The condition however is still challenging, officials said.

"The National Highway connecting Rudraparayag-Joshimath-Mana, the main axis for the Yatra, was covered with numerous landslides and boulders which rolled down on NH-7, disrupting complete movement of traffic, stranding pilgrims and locals on both sides," an official stated. 

The BRO took up the challenge and mobilized all mechanical resources and manpower for opening the yatra axis with operational urgency.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat expressed his satisfaction for the challenging task done by BRO in keeping the entire Yatra axis open despite challenging weather conditions.