Thursday, 04 May 2023 | PNS | PITHORAGARH

The Adi Kailash Yatra will commence in Uttarakhand from Thursday amid the bad weather conditions. The Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) has opened Bundi, the first stop in Pithoragarh district for the eight-day journey starting from Kathgodam but three other halts Gunji, Nabhidhang and Jyolingkang have not been opened yet due to incessant rain and snowfall in the region.

The authorities have deployed employees in Bundi to provide necessary facilities including ration and others. The authorities are yet to deploy employees at Gunji, Nabhidhang and Jyolingkang as they could not reach there due to debris on the road leading to Lipulekh, the China border via Adi Kailash. Due to this, the authorities are still unsure regarding the date of the Yatra there.

As per the schedule of KMVN, the first batch of Adi Kailas Yatra will reach the base camp Dharchula on May 5 which will be decorated with flowers. There are 19 pilgrims in the first batch that will reach the base that include 17 pilgrims from Gujarat and one each from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The administration has also posted two doctors at Gunji and Jyolingkang considering the health problems of the pilgrims at high altitudes. The district magistrate of Pithoragarh, Reena Joshi said that the district administration has sent a complete report of the current weather conditions of the area to the government and is currently waiting for the government to issue necessary guidelines regarding the pilgrimage.

The administration will have to postpone Yatra for some time if they do not get permission from the government to conduct the Yatra. The officials said that there is a high possibility of landslides on the routes due to heavy rains from Tawaghat to Gunji. Considering the inclement weather, the officials said that it is very unlikely that the routes will be opened anytime soon for pilgrims.