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India Gazette
29-06-2025
- India Gazette
Uttarakhand: 9 workers missing from under-construction hotel after cloudburst hits Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], June 29 (ANI): As many as nine workers staying at an under-construction hotel site went missing after a cloudburst severely damaged the construction site at Silai Band on the Barkot-Yamunotri Marg in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. Speaking to ANI, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya said, 'Due to a cloud burst in Silai Band on the Barkot-Yamunotri Marg of Uttarkashi district, a hotel under construction has suffered heavy damage. Eighty-nine workers staying at this under-construction hotel site are missing.' He also informed that the Yamunotri Marg had also been affected by the heavy rainfall and debris. The Uttarkashi administration, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the police, immediately launched a rescue and search operation. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and began efforts to trace the missing workers. Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of Disaster Management for Uttarakhand, also confirmed the incident and said the government was closely monitoring the situation. Suman added that necessary instructions had been passed to ensure the safety of pilgrims and residents in the region. Meanwhile, the Char Dham Yatra has been suspended for 24 hours amid a heavy rain alert. Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey told ANI that the pilgrimage has been temporarily halted as a precaution. 'I have given instructions to the police and administration officials to stop the pilgrims in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Sonprayag and Vikasnagar,' Pandey told. The suspension follows the cloudburst at Silai Band and the ongoing heavy rainfall, disrupting travel. Continuous rainfall on Saturday caused severe disruptions across Uttarakhand, including blockage of the National Highway near Nandprayag and Bhanerpani. In a post on the social media platform X, Chamoli Police Uttarakhand stated, 'The Badrinath National Highway is blocked near Nandprayag and Bhanerpani. Work is underway to open the road.' The National Highway near Nandprayag is a critical route for pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath, making the clearance of the road a priority. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has appealed to the public to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel on Saturday, due to the forecasted heavy rainfall in the state's hilly and some plain areas over the next 24 hours. (ANI)
News18
28-06-2025
- News18
'What Did We Do Wrong': 10-Year-Boy After Losing Both Parents In Uttarakhand Bus Accident
Last Updated: At least four people were killed after a 31-seater bus carrying pilgrims plunged into the Alaknanda River in the Gholtir area of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag on Thursday. After a devastating bus accident in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag on Thursday, a heartbreaking video emerged of a 10-year-old boy, who was seen sobbing by the roadside and pleading with Lord Badrinath after losing both parents. At least four people were killed after a 31-seater bus carrying pilgrims plunged into the Alaknanda River in the Gholtir area of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag. Three deceased passengers were found on Thursday, while another missing pilgrim was found dead yesterday. At least eight people are still missing and rescue operations are still going on, according to police. Six teams, including SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, the police, a district team and fire brigade personnel, are constantly searching for the missing people, said Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman. The boy, identified as Parth Soni, was the son of Vishal Soni, 42, and Gauri Soni, 41, from Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh and the sole survivor from his immediate family in the accident, according to a report by the Times of India. 'Oh Badri-Vishal, what have you done? What did we do wrong? We were your devotees!" he cried loudly as rescue operations began near the Alaknanda River after the tragic accident. Parth had travelled with his parents to Uttarakhand for Char Dham yatra and was seated next to his mother when the accident happened. He has been in a state of shock since the tragedy, said his uncle Nilesh Soni. Vishal and Gauri's bodies were handed over to the family on Friday and will reach Rajgarh by Saturday for the final rites. Meanwhile, hopes of rescuing the other missing pilgrims are turning bleak due to violent currents and muddy waters through which not much can be seen, authorities said. Rescue teams are using rafts to locate the bus and other pilgrims. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met the injured and their relatives at AIIMS, Rishikesh and assured them of all help from the government. 'We stand with the families of the victims of the accident with full sensitivity," he said. The injured driver of the vehicle, who hails from Kankhal in Haridwar, claimed the bus fell into the river after being hit by a truck coming from the opposite direction. There were 20 people, including the driver, on board the vehicle when it fell into the river, police said. (with agency inputs) First Published:
India Gazette
26-06-2025
- General
- India Gazette
Congress leader Harish Rawat slams state administration over Rudraprayag bus incident
Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], June 26 (ANI): Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Thursday criticised the state administration for failing to learn from previous incidents after a tragic bus accident in Rudraprayag left several dead and injured. Speaking to ANI, Harish Rawat said, 'Such incidents happened last year too. It seems that our system is not learning from them. The state's prestige is linked to this yatra. We should consider that even a small mistake or policy error of the administration tarnishes the state's prestige.' At least three people were killed and eight others injured when a bus carrying 20 passengers collided with another bus and plunged into the Alaknanda River near the Gholthir area of Rudraprayag district during early hours today, officials said. Uttarakhand Secretary for Disaster Management, Vinod Kumar Suman, confirmed the incident and said rescue operations were ongoing. 'There were 20 passengers in the bus that swept away in the river in the Gholthir area of Rudraprayag district. We were able to save 8 people, 3 people died, the rest are being searched,' he told ANI. He further added, 'Among the passengers were a driver from Haridwar, 7 people from Rajasthan, 3 people from Madhya Pradesh, 7 people from Gujarat and 2 people from Maharashtra.' Rescue teams from SDRF, NDRF, and DDRF, along with the district administration, immediately rushed to the scene. Local residents also helped in the rescue operation. Some passengers jumped from the bus before it fell into the river and were rescued and taken to the district hospital. Critically injured victims were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh. Meanwhile, due to continuous rainfall disrupting the Sonprayag-Munkatia route on the Kedarnath Yatra path, the Rudraprayag district administration safely evacuated 1,269 pilgrims--833 men and 436 women. 'Successful rescue of 1269 pilgrims on the Kedarnath route. Due to continuous rainfall disrupting the Sonprayag-Munkatia route, the Rudraprayag administration prioritised pilgrim safety and evacuated 833 male and 436 female devotees with the assistance of SDRF, NDRF, and DDRF. Efforts are ongoing to restore the route,' the Rudraprayag District Administration posted on X. The bus involved in the accident was travelling from Rudraprayag to Badrinath when it lost control near a sharp turn and fell approximately 300 meters into the river. Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident. 'The news of a tempo traveller falling into a river in Rudraprayag district is deeply tragic. Relief and rescue operations are being conducted on a war footing by SDRF and other rescue teams. I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter. I pray to God for everyone's safety,' CM Dhami said in a post on X. The SDRF has also launched a search operation near the Srinagar Garhwal dam, about 40 kilometres from the crash site, as strong river currents may have carried the victims downstream. (ANI)
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Reconstruction work in Jyotirmath to begin soon, slope stabilisation key focus in phase 1
Dehradun: The first phase of Jyotirmath's reconstruction and rehabilitation, expected to begin soon, will include 'toe protection' work along the Alaknanda river, slope stabilisation measures, and upgrades to the town's water and sanitation systems, officials said on Monday. The move follows the Centre's release of Rs 291 crore last week — the first tranche of the Rs 1,658 crore rehabilitation package sanctioned for the landslide-prone Himalayan town, a key gateway for pilgrims heading to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib. "We've received the first installment and are working to start reconstruction as early as possible," a senior disaster management official told TOI. A high-level meeting was held Monday evening to finalise the implementation strategy. Disaster management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that tenders for the projects listed in the detailed project reports (DPRs) submitted to the Centre will be floated soon. "While physical work on the ground will take some time, procedural steps are now underway," Suman said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo He added that the meeting will be followed by review and clearance from the chief secretary-led state empowered committee and later by the expenditure finance committee before work officially begins. The rehabilitation package covers four detailed project reports (DPRs) submitted by the state, including a subsidence mitigation plan by the PWD, sewage and drainage upgrades by Peyjal Nigam, and riverbank protection by the irrigation department. Officials said these efforts aim to stabilise fragile slopes and strengthen basic infrastructure to prevent further damage in the town, which was hit by land subsidence in early 2023.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Time of India
Statewide mock drill held to boost Char Dham Yatra readiness
Dehradun: With an aim to bolster safety and preparedness for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, a full-scale mock drill was jointly conducted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) on Thursday. The exercise was carried out at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) and across all seven districts involved in the annual pilgrimage. The drill covered the core Char Dham districts — Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag — along with key transit districts, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri and Tehri. It tested the ground-level readiness of various departments operating under the Incident Response System (IRS). Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of the state disaster management department, emphasised that the exercise, conducted in close coordination with the NDMA, was meant to assess emergency response capabilities and inter-departmental collaboration. "We achieved significant success in coordination, and where shortcomings were identified, relevant departments were directed to address them before the yatra begins," he said. The operations were led by NDMA principal advisor Major General Sudhir Bahl (retd), who issued a series of recommendations during the post-drill debriefing. He advised integrating police and tourism control rooms with the SEOC for broader monitoring. He also called for the widespread promotion of the Char Dham Yatra mobile app to deliver timely weather alerts, traffic updates, landslide warnings and alternate route guidance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo Key suggestions included installing mandatory signage in danger zones, conducting fire safety audits for hotels and lodges, deploying earth-moving equipment near landslide-prone areas and setting up communication systems in no-network zones. He also recommended enhanced health facilities for helicopter pilgrims vulnerable to high-altitude sickness, and the establishment of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for helipad safety. The NDMA also praised the efforts in Badrinath, particularly the crowd management measures implemented by Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari. These included improved matting, reinforced railings, benches for elderly pilgrims and additional toilet facilities.
