Massive landslide at Jogi Dhara near Joshimath blocks traffic from both sides with hundreds of pilgrims n tourists stranded
Multistorey houses in Uttarkashi coming under the impact of possible landslides vacated
Lakhs of tonnes of Silt, boulders, mud and dust in the shape of a massive landslide has fallen down near Joshimath at Jogi Dhara resulting in complete closure of the main road which is the Gateway to Badrinath and Hemkunth Sahib, the two ancient religious centres of peoples’ faith.
The landslide was so massive that hundreds of travellers on motor bikes, cars, taxis and other vehicles were stranded today morning at both the sides coming towards Hemkunth Sahib and Badrinath and going back to Rishikesh from Hemkunth Sahib and Badrinath after paying their obeisance.
Thousands of pilgrims from various parts of Uttarakhand and other states including Sikhs from Punjab visit the Badrinath temple and Hemkunth Sahib and after this massive landslide the main thoroughfare have been blocked.
Joshimath is the gateway to these ancient religious and spiritual portals and thousands of pilgrims throng these ancient temples daily despite several warnings.
Joshimath is already under difficult situation as last year it faced tremendous subsidence and developing several deep cracks in over one thousand houses and commercial buildings due to the township going down .
Hundreds of the affected residents have been shifted to alternative places by the government as the houses that developed deep cracks weren’t feasible fof living.
The residents had accused the NTPC for its huge power project holding it directly responsible for this subsidence using the huge drilling machines for excavating tunnels breaking the natural acquifers (internal natural streams) and also dynamites etc to spill water inside the earth at Joshimath thus making it a clay from inside resulting in its subsidence posing direct threat to the living population.
The current landslide near Joshimath has further added to the woes of the Joshimath population stopping the main gateway from both sides during the peak monsoon with people in large numbers stranded.
Meanwhile owners of several houses which has come under the impact of landslide possibility after landslides coming on their sides have been asked to vacate their houses as they fall under the risk zone, likely to come down. This multi storeyed house of three floors have been vacated and several other houses are being verified at Uttarkashi highway behind the Vishwanath temple. Uttarkashi has witnessed a massive Dharali destruction after dangerous flash floods which claimed several lives and loss of massive properties.
