Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): The district administration in Rudraprayag has stepped up safety protocols ahead of monsoon rainfall which can trigger potential danger zones along the Kedarnath National Highway and the high-altitude trekking path.

According to the District Magistrate, Rudraprayag, Vishal Mishra, during the monsoon season, continuous rainfall in the Kedar Valley of Rudraprayag district activates several danger zones along the Kedarnath National Highway and the trekking route to Kedarnath. As a result, vehicular movement on the highway is often disrupted, causing significant inconvenience to pilgrims and residents.

Speaking to ANI, District Magistrate, Rudraprayag, Vishal Mishra informed that disaster management and rescue teams officials have been deployed on high alert across key vulnerable stretches of the Kedarnath Highway and the pedestrian trekking route.

He said, 'The trek to Kedarnath Dham also becomes highly challenging during the monsoon. The risk of landslides, falling debris, and rockfalls increases considerably in the mountainous terrain, making the safety of pilgrims the top priority.'

Commenting on the proactive measures taken, District Magistrate emphasised keeping potential hazards in mind and informed that the administration has put in place extensive safety measures at vulnerable locations along both the highway and the trekking route.

'Surveillance has been intensified, and disaster management as well as rescue teams have been kept on high alert,' he said.

Providing specific details on the risks, District Magistrate Vishal Mishra explained that several locations on the Kedarnath Highway, including Sirobagad, Banswara, Jamu, and Munkatiya, are considered highly landslide-prone. Similarly, on the Kedarnath trekking route, areas such as Kuber Glacier, Rambara, Bhimbali, and Lincholi fall under the category of danger zones.

'During the monsoon season, the administration is urging pilgrims to check weather updates before undertaking the journey and to strictly follow all safety guidelines to avoid any untoward incidents,' he added.

Meanwhile, the state government, amid the ongoing Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, has undertaken several measures to ensure a smooth pilgrimage for the tourists.

Speaking to ANI, Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik informed that the state government has undertaken comprehensive preparations across all districts that are part of the Char Dham Yatra route, including Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi.

Furthermore, the government also ensured close coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), with the Chief Minister himself personally monitoring all arrangements.

The Minister further stressed the government's three-pronged approach towards ensuring preparedness for the monsoon in the state.

'In view of the monsoon, we have adopted a 3-pronged approach to preparedness: measures to be taken before a disaster strikes, during a disaster, and after a disaster. We have been continuously monitoring the situation across all three phases. We have deployed our response teams to the field and have conducted several mock drills. The government is approaching disaster preparedness with the utmost seriousness,' said Kaushik. (ANI)