Uttarakhand: Landslide damages bridge in Pithoragarh, Dharchula-Gunji traffic closed
A landslide damaged the Kulagad bridge on the Dharchula-Gunji route in Uttarakhand, suspending traffic to the Vyas and Darma valleys.
Traffic on the Dharchula-Gunji route in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district was halted on Wednesday due to a landslide that damaged the Kulagad suspension bridge. The bridge, situated around 8-11 km from Dharchula, was affected early in the morning on Wednesday. Sub-divisional magistrate Ashish Joshi of Dharchula urged people not to use the route to or from Dharchula and the high Himalayan valleys until an alternative route is established.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is constructing a temporary route alongside the damaged bridge. Officials anticipate that pedestrian movement will resume by Wednesday evening, and small vehicles may be permitted from Thursday, contingent on the progress of the work. The reconstruction of the main bridge is projected to take five to ten days.
The disruption has raised concerns over the return schedules of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims, with two batches returning in the coming days. If an alternate route is available, the ninth batch could return today, while the final batch might return on August 23. The district administration and police have urged residents, pilgrims, and travelers to avoid unnecessary movement and follow official advisories until the connectivity is restored.
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