Srinagar (Uttarakhand): Heavy rainfall and cloudburst have caused snapping of the road communication at five places on the National Highway 58 between Rishikesh and Devprayag. The vehicles coming from Srinagar and Rishikesh are being diverted to other routes. The National Highway is closed since 11 pm on Friday, said an official.
Efforts are on to open the highway for vehicular traffic and workers from the Public Works Department have been drafted in to restore normalcy on the road. Besides the rise in water level in the Alaknanda river has set the alarm bell ringing in the Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts of the state. Those living close to the banks of the river are apprehensive that their dwellings could be gobbled up in the swirling waters of the Alaknanda river. As per information pouring in from Devprayag police station, National Highway 58 has been closed at five places between Rishikesh and Devprayag.
The road communication near Tindhara, Rolidhar, Totaghati, Sod Pani, and Bachelikhal has been disrupted. Heavy boulders and shooting stones overtopping the National Highway led to the disruption of road communication at several places. The lifeline of Garhwal has been closed and the road links to Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts with other parts of Uttarakhand have been snapped. This highway from Karnprayag links with the Almora and Bageshwar districts of Kumaon.
Devprayag police station in charge Devraj Sharma said that the highway is closed since 11 pm Friday. Hence vehicles coming from Srinagar are being diverted to Rishikesh via Maletha Tehri Chamba. Vehicles coming from Tehri are being rerouted to Narendranagar, Chamba, Tehri, and Maletha to reach Srinagar. Efforts are on to open the road.
