Video: Close Shave For Workers Clearing Badrinath Highway Captured on Camera

Dehradun: Workers clearing the Badrinath highway had a close shave on Thursday morning as boulders tumbled down from a mountain, narrowly avoiding disaster. A video that has gone viral on social media shows the workers quickly moving down the hill as rocks fell, narrowly escaping what could have been a major disaster.  

Highway Closure and Landslide Impact

The Badrinath National Highway, a crucial link to the Badrinath pilgrimage site, has been closed for more than 48 hours due to two landslides in Chamoli, leaving thousands of travellers stranded. 

On Wednesday, a landslide at Patalganga led to a buildup of rubble at the entrance of a tunnel on the Badrinath National Highway. The debris caused damage to the tunnel and resulted in the highway being closed.  

Current Status of the Highway

Although the highway was cleared and reopened at Patalganga this morning, it is still blocked near Joshimath due to a landslide that has blocked the Patal Ganga Langsi tunnel. Speaking to ANI, Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said that the Badrinath Highway is blocked at Bhanerpani, Joshimath, because of heavy debris falling onto the road. However, travellers can still walk across the area.

Disaster Response and Connectivity Issues

A video shared by the state police depicts disaster response force personnel assisting travelers across a road partially washed away by the landslide. The landslide has disrupted connectivity to Badrinath, Joshimath, Niti, Mana, Tapovan, Malari, Lata, Raini, Pandukeshwar, and Hemkund Sahib. Over 2,000 travelers and pilgrims heading to or from Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib remain stranded on the highway.  

Over 260 Roads Roads Closed

Over 260 roads in Uttarakhand are currently closed due to rain and landslides. Pilgrims heading to the Char Dham are advised to be cautious because of heavy rain warnings in five districts. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is actively working to clear the road at Joshimath, deploying 241 excavators to remove debris.