Landslides, Tourists Inflow Lead To 6-Km Long Jam In Uttarakhand; Rishikesh, Mussoorie Affected

With the onset of summer vacations and scorching heat in the mainland, the rush among tourists heading to the Himalayan states has begun.

However, the unpredictable spell of heavy rains and the rush of tourists have led to massive traffic jams in parts of Uttarakhand.

The landslides, triggered by heavy rains in active landslide zones, and sudden tourist footfall have led to a six-kilometre-long traffic jam on the Badrinath highway, NDTV reported.

The report said that there was a heavy traffic on the National Highway 7, which connects Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath and Badrinath.

Meanwhile, visuals showed cars, mini-buses and trucks lined up and crawling in the traffic as JCB machines and bulldozers cleared debris from the highway. 

The tourists in Mussoorie witnessed a four-hour-long traffic jam on Sunday, leaving vehicles stranded. The traffic congestion occurred near Mussoorie’s Gandhi Chowk, stretching from King Craig to Zero Point.

The Rudraprayag Police, in a post on X, said that after Saturday’s rain, the Sirobagad Sliding Zone was closed due to the falling debris and stones.

“After last night’s heavy rain, Sirobagad Sliding Zone turns into a menace. The route remained unpredictable throughout the day, opening and closing intermittently. By late evening, as the flow of debris and rocks completely ceased, the concerned agency managed to fully restore traffic on the route,” the Rudraprayag Police said.

Meanwhile, a landslide near the Kwarab Bridge on the Almora-Haldwani National Highway caused traffic disruptions in Almora. 

The debris from the hillside repeatedly fell onto the road, leading to intermittent blockages and posing challenges for commuters. The authorities deployed JCB machines to clear the debris, but the continuous falling of rubble made the task difficult.