Snowfall at Kedarnath, IMD issues storm alert for several places in U’khand

Dehradun: Fresh snowfall lashed Kedarnath Dham on Monday afternoon, even as the annual pilgrimage continued with authorities maintaining close vigil over weather conditions and the pilgrim movement.According to the district administration, continuous snowfall was reported in the Kedarnath valley, prompting deployment of police personnel to manage the steady flow of devotees. Pilgrims were seen queuing for darshan amid snowfall, with officials ensuring orderly movement and safety along the route, Rudraprayag police said.India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail, intense to very intense rainfall and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places on Tuesday across several districts, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar, along with other hilly areas.Despite the adverse weather, the inflow of pilgrims to the shrine has continued. Authorities have advised devotees to carry adequate warm clothing, rain gear and essential medicines, given the rapidly changing conditions in the high-altitude region.Rudraprayag DM Vishal Mishra said the Char Dham yatra was proceeding smoothly overall, though aviation services had been affected. “The Kedarnath yatra is progressing at a steady pace. However, heli services have been disrupted in recent days due to unfavourable weather conditions. All helicopter operators have been strictly instructed to adhere to safety norms,” he said, adding that steps were being taken to minimise inconvenience to passengers with prior bookings.Meanwhile, SP (Rudraprayag) Neeharika Tomar said coordination among the administration, police and disaster response teams has been intensified in view of the weather alert, with contingency measures in place to ensure the safety of pilgrims.She said police have strengthened traffic and crowd management along the route. “Traffic is being regulated through seven permanent and 11 temporary parking sites to prevent congestion. Police personnel have been deployed at 16 bottleneck points and 12 active landslide-prone zones, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring and smooth vehicular movement,” she added.The administration is also relying on technology for real-time monitoring. The entire route is under surveillance through 10 ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, around 200 fixed and PTZ cameras, and four drone surveillance zones. These systems are integrated with the control room, enabling quick response and decision-making to ensure minimal disruption to the yatra, according to police in Rudraprayag.