Andhra pilgrims stranded during Kedarnath yatra reach safer ground after snowfall

Several residents of Andhra Pradesh from the districts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam were stranded at various places in Uttarakhand, after heavy snowfall lashed the area.

While one group of pilgrims got stuck near Badrinath as they were on their way to the Kedarnath shrine as part of the Char Dham yatra, the other group which included officials like Srikakulam ZP chairperson Chowdary Dhanalakshmi, were stranded at Sitapur while they were on their way to study the MGNREGA work in Uttarakhand. 

“The snowfall of about five inches had blocked the road and disrupted the movement of pilgrims. Our team had scattered here and there for shelter following the snowfall and stayed in small tents the whole night without food and blankets. Bad weather had disrupted mobile communication and I was unable to find out the condition of a few others of my team. On Tuesday night, with much difficulty, we reached Sitapur," A. Ramakrishna, one of the officials, told DC.  

“On the suggestion from Minister for Transport K. Atchannaidu and Srikakulam MP K. Rammohan Naidu, we talked to the officials concerned and ensured road clearance for the movement of their vehicles. After travelling nearly 315 km, Ms. Dhanalakshmi and her team reached Haridwar from Sitapur,” TDP parliamentary party office in-charge Naupada Satyanarayana told The Hindu.

As far as the pilgrims were concerned, Pendurthi MLA Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy addressed a press meet, where he said that all the devotees from Visakhapatnam district were safe and on their way back.

He also said that the state government had made necessary arrangements and even opened a help desk at Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi, adding that there was no reason to panic. 

Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu told reporters that pilgrims from his district were stranded in Kedarnath but were safe, adding that the state government would assist them in making arrangements for their return.