Kedarnath Yatra halted for tomorrow amid incessant snowfall, orange alert

The Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand has been canceled for tomorrow due to heavy snowfall, officials said on Tuesday. Kedarnath Dham is one of the state’s Char Dhams. In addition, an orange alert has been issued in the area. The district government has also suspended pilgrim registration for Kedarnath until May 3, 2023.

“Due to bad weather and snowfall in Kedarnath, the registration of pilgrims for Kedarnath has been stopped till tomorrow May 3. The decision regarding registration will be taken keeping in view the weather conditions,” Mayur Dixit, Rudraprayag District Magistrate (DM) said.

Meanwhile, only Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri Dham registrations are being processed at the passenger registration centre in Rishikesh, according to the District Magistrate.

The Meteorological Department issued a rain and snowfall warning for the high Himalayan regions for the next 2-3 days on Monday. According to Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mayur Dixit, an appeal has been made for the safety of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath Dham.

Earlier on April 25, the day Kedarnath Dham’s doors opened, the Uttarakhand government suspended taking registration applications from pilgrims for the Kedarnath Dham Yatra due to significant snowfall on the pilgrimage path and a Met Department warning of severe weather.

The Kedarnath temple is one of the most revered temples in the country dedicated to Lord Shiva, and visitors come from all across the country during the six months the temple is open. One of the most prominent Hindu pilgrimages in India is the Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand. This pilgrimage takes you to four holy locations in the Himalayas: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.