DEHRADUN: The Kedarnath shrine pilgrimage route, which was disrupted following the July 31 tragedy, has resumed operations after a 15-day gap. With the route cleared, pilgrims are once again embarking on their sacred journey to the Kedarnath shrine, ending a long wait for thousands of eager devotees.In a remarkable display of logistical prowess, over 6,400 people stranded on the rain-ravaged trek route to Kedarnath have been safely evacuated in just over a fortnight. The rescue operation, which commenced after flash floods and landslides disrupted the Kedarnath shrine yatra route on July 31, has successfully relocated more than 12,000 people and devotees to safe locations.The Indian Air Force (IAF) played a pivotal role in the evacuation, deploying its Chinook and MI17 helicopters to supplement the efforts of smaller helicopters initially used for the rescue. The IAF’s involvement significantly enhanced the scale and efficiency of the operation, ensuring the swift relocation of stranded pilgrims amidst challenging weather conditions.Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told , “A team of 260 labourers has successfully restored the Kedarnath trek route in 15 days through their relentless efforts. Following this, some pilgrims from UP, Gujarat, and Haryana have begun reaching Kedarnath Dham via the trek route.”Rajwar added, “The 19-kilometre trek route, damaged at 29 spots due to the recent disaster, has been repaired by the labourers’ team in just 15 days, marking a significant milestone in the region’s recovery.”Hundreds of labourers from the PWD Guptkashi division are working tirelessly to restore the trek route to Kedarnath. Meanwhile, repairs to the Sonaprayag-Gaurikund highway are also underway with utmost urgency, with vehicular movement expected to commence shortly.A spokesperson for the Badri Kedar Mandir Samiti told this daily, “Since the commencement of the yatra, a total of 10,93,992 devotees have visited the revered Kedarnath shrine. Lately, approximately 200 pilgrims are reaching Kedarnath Dham daily.”
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