Heavy rains in Uttarakhand halt Char Dham Yatra and damage Dehradun bridge
Heavy rainfall across Uttarakhand and the Dehradun district has triggered landslides, rising river levels and road blockages. The Garhwal Divisional Commissioner announced the suspension of the Char Dham pilgrimage for Tuesday and Wednesday, citing safety concerns as the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers in Rudraprayag reached warning levels and highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Sonprayag remained closed.
In Dehradun, a newly constructed approach road to a bridge at Nanda Ki Chowki collapsed after soil beneath it was washed away. Officials confirmed the bridge’s main structure is intact but the road has sunk, prompting inspections by the district magistrate and technical teams. The project, rebuilt after a previous temporary bridge washed away, cost Rs 16 crore and has drawn criticism from Uttarakhand Congress leaders who allege mismanagement and demand the dismissal of the state PWD minister.
Police and disaster‑management officers have been placed on high alert across the region, with continuous monitoring of weather warnings, road conditions and pilgrim safety.
Entities: Alaknanda River · Char Dham Yatra · Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan · Garhwal Divisional Commissioner · Uttarakhand Congress
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Landslides occurred in Chamoli, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag. (Garhwal Divisional Commissioner)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Char Dham Yatra was suspended for two days due to heavy rainfall and landslides. (Garhwal Divisional Commissioner)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The repaired bridge and approach road were rebuilt at a cost of Rs 16 crore. (PTI report)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A newly built approach road to a bridge in Dehradun collapsed after heavy rains washed away the underlying soil. (Dehradun officials)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Uttarakhand Congress leaders alleged corruption over the bridge repair and demanded dismissal of the state PWD minister. (Suryakant Dhasmana, Uttarakhand Congress senior vice president)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Police and disaster‑management officers were placed on high alert in Dehradun and Rishikesh. (Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Kedarnath Highway was blocked at Munkatiya by debris and rocks following continuous rainfall. (District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers reached warning levels in Rudraprayag. (Garhwal Divisional Commissioner)