The Kedarnath Yatra continued uninterrupted on Tuesday after rain temporarily subsided in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, allowing devotees to visit the Himalayan shrine. However, authorities remain on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert, forecasting heavy rainfall later in the day.
Weather conditions at the Kedarnath temple were normal on Tuesday morning, enabling pilgrims to offer prayers without disruption. However, the district administration has urged devotees and residents to remain vigilant, warning that heavy rain is likely to return.
As a precaution, the Rudraprayag administration has declared a holiday for all government and private schools from Classes 1 to 12, along with Anganwadi centres, to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Officials have also advised pilgrims to avoid unnecessary travel to vulnerable areas and strictly follow weather advisories issued by the administration.
Despite persistent rainfall and low temperatures in the Himalayan region, the annual pilgrimage has largely continued under close administrative supervision. According to official figures, more than 14.14 lakh (1,414,590) devotees have visited the Kedarnath shrine so far this year.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the yatra is proceeding smoothly under the district administration’s supervision. He noted that the pilgrimage had been temporarily suspended over the past two days following heavy rain warnings, with pilgrims halted at designated safe locations as a precaution. Their movement resumed in a phased manner once weather conditions improved.
Earlier this week, both the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines remained shrouded in dense fog as continuous rainfall led to a sharp drop in temperatures across the Char Dham region. Despite the adverse weather, the Char Dham Yatra has continued, with devotees continuing to arrive for darshan.
-IANS
