Uttarakhand: Badrinath Highway blocked in Chamoli district as stones roll off hill

Traffic movement on the Badrinath Highway was blocked as stones rolled off the hill near Baba Ashram Karnprayag in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials informed on Sunday. According to Chamoli Police, traffic movement was temporarily suspended on the route after stones slipped down the hill in Karnprayag town of Chamoli district. Earlier, on Saturday, a portion of the Badrinath National Highway (National Highway-7) was corroded due to the rising levels of the Lambagad drain on account of heavy showers in the Chamoli district since Friday night, officials said,

According to Chamoli Police, a 50-metre stretch of the highway was washed away following incessant rainfall. "Falling debris and a rise in the water level of the Lambagad drain due to constant rainfall since Friday night caused 50 metres of the NH-7 road to be washed away," the police said in a statement. Earlier, the road near Nandaprayag and Pursari on the Badrinath National Highway was blocked due to the pile-up of debris from the hills. Chamoli Police shared the visuals from the spot on social media platforms, showing a huge pile of debris on the road.

The police said the road was blocked near Navodaya Vidyalaya Peepalkoti on Badrinath National Highway due to a pile-up of debris. Earlier, traffic was affected after a 70-metre stretch of the National Highway-7 was damaged because of rainfall near Gauchar town in Chamoli district. Following the breach, officials from the departments concerned rushed to restore the road for traffic at the earliest. "The National Highway near Gauchar, Kameda was blocked due to a breach on the road, spanning about 70 metres," an official had said.