Uttarakhand Temporarily Halts Char Dham Yatra Amid Landslide and Severe Weather Risks

Public Lokpal
July 20, 2026

The Uttarakhand government has temporarily suspended the Char Dham Yatra due to persistent heavy rainfall, landslide threats, and severe weather warnings across the state. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing Red and Orange alerts, rockfalls and highway blockages have disrupted access routes to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

To ensure safety, district administrations have halted onward movement and directed thousands of pilgrims to designated safe shelters along the route until roads are cleared. Water levels in the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers have risen significantly, prompting precautionary closures of schools across 11 districts.

Despite periodic weather disruptions this monsoon, over 4.4 million devotees have visited the Himalayan shrines so far this season. Authorities have strongly advised travelers to avoid hazardous mountain stretches and rely solely on official updates regarding the resumption of the pilgrimage.