‘1300-year-old’ original trek route to Kedarnath set to reopen 13 years after floods

DEHRADUN: The original trekking route to Kedarnath via Garud Chatti, which was severely damaged in the 2013 flash floods, is likely to reopen for pilgrims in the upcoming yatra season. The 15.3km trail is shorter than the current 16.3km route through Lincholi. Final utilities, including drinking water and toilets, are pending, but officials say preparations are in their final stage.The route, once the main path to the shrine, was rendered unusable after floods cut off key segments and swept away supporting infrastructure. This year, the administration is considering assigning the Garud Chatti path for trekkers on foot, while directing pony movement to the wider Lincholi trail. "Some minor work is left, but we are optimistic that this route will be in use during the yatra," said Rudraprayag's district disaster management officer, Nandan Singh Rajwar. "It is more suitable for trekkers." As per Hindu mythology, the Kedarnath temple is linked to the Pandavas, who are believed to have sought Lord Shiva here for penance after the Mahabharata war. The shrine is also believed to have been revived and restructured by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century.Laxmi Narayan Jugdan, a purohit at Kedarnath, told TOI, "The reconstructed route is slightly different to the original one as it was difficult to make it one on the exactly same route. The bends have also been widened, as a result the new route is roughly 1.5 km longer than the original route."Reconstruction of the damaged route was carried out in phases by the public works department and the district disaster management authority. A 3.3 km stretch between Kedarnath and Garud Chatti was completed first, followed by a 5.3km segment connecting Garud Chatti to Rambada—one of the worst-affected points during the disaster.Officials also confirmed that a bridge at Rambada, which serves as a crucial link on the trail, will be ready before the yatra begins. Once completed, pilgrims will have the option to take either the restored Gaurikund–Rambada–Garud Chatti–Kedarnath route or the existing Gaurikund–Rambada–Lincholi–Kedarnath route. Due to realignment in some sections, the Rambada–Kedarnath distance has increased slightly from its earlier 7km to8.6 km.Kedarnath Dham draws more than 15 lakh visitors annually. While Badrinath Dham's portal opening date has already been declared, the announcement for Kedarnath will be made on Mahashivratri. The 2013 Uttarakhand flash floods — triggered by cloudbursts and glacial lake outbursts — devastated large parts of Kedarnath valley, destroying roads, bridges and pilgrimage infrastructure. Over 5,700 people were presumed dead, and the Rambada region was among the worst-hit.