Uttarkashi Road Work Accelerates As Clear Skies Aid Yamunotri Route Repairs
Favourable weather conditions in Uttarkashi have enabled authorities to accelerate the restoration of roads damaged by recent rainfall and landslides, particularly near the Silai Band stretch of the Yamunotri National Highway. Repair efforts had been hampered for days due to persistent downpours, but with clearer skies, officials are pushing to reopen the key pilgrimage route. Pilgrims to Yamunotri are still travelling via a temporary transhipment arrangement, while access to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri remains unaffected.
Authorities had struggled to gain traction on repair efforts due to continuous rains that caused frequent mudslides and instability along the mountainous terrain. However, the improvement in weather over the past few days has allowed the deployment of heavy equipment and workforce on a war footing. Officials monitoring the restoration have indicated that if current conditions persist, the route could reopen to regular traffic far sooner than anticipated.Despite the road damage, the annual pilgrimage to Yamunotri has remained operational through a transhipment arrangement. Pilgrims returning from the shrine are currently being ferried by vehicles up to the Ojri point. From there, they undertake a short 400-metre walk to cross the obstructed stretch near Silai Band. On the other side, another set of vehicles waits to transport them onward to their destination.
While the process is time-consuming and physically demanding, especially for elderly pilgrims, it has ensured continued access to the sacred site without full suspension of travel.Local administrators have worked in tandem with disaster response teams and road agencies to streamline the transhipment process, maintaining safety and order along the disrupted corridor. Makeshift shelters and temporary support facilities have been set up to assist those undertaking the crossing, while additional traffic marshals have been deployed to avoid congestion or delays. Importantly, the Char Dham Yatra—an annual pilgrimage to four of Uttarakhand’s holiest shrines—continues without any significant setbacks on other routes. The pathways leading to Badrinath, Kedarnath, and Gangotri Dhams are reported to be in stable condition, with only minor weather-related advisories issued.
The recent incident near Silai Band has once again highlighted the need for climate-resilient road infrastructure in Uttarakhand’s hill districts.Civil engineers working on the project are using fast-curing materials and modular repair techniques to speed up the process. While traditional road repairs can take weeks, the current approach aims to temporarily stabilise the most dangerous stretches to allow vehicle passage, before launching a more permanent rebuild after the monsoon eases.
