Devotees coming to Uttarakhand for the Char Dham pilgrimage to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath may face a tough time this season as the number of landslide zones along the pilgrimage routes has doubled in the last year. While there were 35 identified landslide zones on the Char Dham Yatra routes during the last pilgrimage season, the number has now increased to 66 for the upcoming season beginning April 30.

The additional landslide zones were identified by the Garhwal Police during a survey conducted to track high-risk locations along the Char Dham routes. Police officials in Dehradun said that the local administration has installed warning boards at these sites and will deploy security forces and JCB machines to assist pilgrims during the Yatra. These arrangements will be made at locations where no alternate routes are available. Apart from police and JCBs, BRO teams will also be deployed at the identified landslide zones.

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Nearly 28 landslide-prone areas along the Char Dham routes have no alternative routes, forcing devotees to travel through dangerous sites. According to officials from the Garhwal Range, the Inspector General (IG) of State Police Headquarters has ordered the deployment of police, rescue teams, possibly SDRF personnel, and other resources at these landslide locations to tackle emergency situations. Companies and firms involved in road construction at these sites have also been asked to keep bulldozers and JCBs on standby during the pilgrimage to remove debris from landslides and clear the roads as quickly as possible during the Yatra.

Among the 66 landslide zones, 49 are high-risk spots in various districts along the Yatra route, which have witnessed big accidents in previous years. While BRO and state PWD teams are working hard to repair and widen the roads at these locations, the chronic nature of these accident-prone sites continues to pose challenges for pilgrims. However, accidents at these spots have decreased in recent months. Crash barriers have also been installed along the roadsides to help prevent accidents. Most of the accident-prone areas are on highways. This season, traffic lights have been installed at several locations to manage congestion, prevent road blockages, and reduce accidents.