46 Adi Kailash pilgrims stranded after Pithoragarh landslide airlifted

DEHRADUN/PITHORAGARH: A total of 46 Adi Kailash pilgrims, including 30 from Tamil Nadu, 10 from Punjab and one from Delhi, were successfully airlifted and transported to the army helipad in Dharchula on Sunday after being stranded in various parts of Pithoragarh district following a rain-triggered landslide at Chaitakot on Sep 13, which completely blocked the Dharchula-Tawaghat highway and the pilgrimage path.

However, a 44-year-old pilgrim from Punjab, Swadesh Nandchahal, who was part of the group returning from Adi Kailash, died after falling ill. His body was brought to Dharchula on Sunday and handed over to his family.

"The remaining pilgrims staying at Narayan Ashram in Dharchula will be rescued by helicopter tomorrow," said Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary in the disaster management department.

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami closely monitored the rescue operation and directed the authorities to carry out the mission on a war footing to ensure the safe evacuation of stranded pilgrims.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has also directed state officials to ensure the safe return of stranded pilgrims from Tamil Nadu. "We are taking all necessary measures to rescue people trapped in Uttarakhand and ensure their safe return back home," Stalin wrote on X on Sunday.

In a separate incident, an employee at the Pithoragarh district magistrate's office, Chandra Mohan Pandey, lost his life when a boulder struck him at Rargadi on the Munsiyari-Milam road in Pithoragarh district. The authorities recovered his body from the accident site and handed it over to the civil police for further formalities, officials said.

Meanwhile, during an overnight rescue mission, SDRF personnel rescued nearly 400 people, mostly pilgrims, from the Ghat area in Pithoragarh district after a landslide blocked the road.

Bhupender Singh Mahar, disaster management officer of Pithoragarh, said, "Road clearance work is on, and the highway is expected to be fully operational for traffic by Tuesday. Around 44 roads in the district remain blocked, with boulders continuing to fall from the hills at Dilli Band, and the Pithoragarh-Tanakpur road also remains closed."

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, over 450 roads, including key national highways, have been blocked due to heavy rainfall in the past 48 hours. The Joshimath-Malari-Niti National Highway remains disrupted at Saldhar in Chamoli district due to the intermittent falling of debris and rocks.

The Border Roads Organisation is working to reopen the route, which connects to the Indo-China border.

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