Road connectivity between Uttarkashi and Harsil has finally been restored, more than three weeks after flash floods struck Dharali on August 5. The Gangotri yatra, however, is still on hold. Parts of the Gangotri national highway near Harsil remain damaged or submerged.
District Magistrate Prashant Arya has asked the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to speed up repairs so pilgrims can take on the yatra to Gangotri again. BRO teams are working round the clock to reopen the route.
The damaged stretches of road at Limchygad, Dabrani and Songad have been repaired, bringing relief to locals. Power, water and communication lines are also back in Dharali, Harsil and nearby villages. Essential supplies are being delivered, and government agencies remain on alert.
On August 5, the Kheer Ganga river had unleashed a devastating flash flood that swept away nearly half of Dharali, a key stopover to Gangotri. Many hotels, homestays and even an Army camp in neighbouring Harsil were washed away. People had only moments to run to safety.
Sixty-nine people went missing in the tragedy, including nine Army personnel, 25 Nepali workers, 13 people from Bihar, six from Uttar Pradesh, eight from Dharali, five from nearby Uttarkashi, two from Tehri and one from Rajasthan. The body of a local man from Dharali was recovered shortly after the disaster.
Also Read: Massive flashflood had hit Kheer Ganga river in Uttarkashi on August 5
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