AHMEDABAD: For the 500 Gujarati pilgrims who had gone on the Chardhaam yatra earlier this month, the pilgrimage has turned into nightmare. According to tour operators in the city, these pilgrims are awaiting evacuation or aid, especially in northern parts of Uttarakhand after heavy rains triggered a landslide. Most of the pilgrims are stranded at Uttarkashi, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.

City-based tour operators held meetings on Monday to assess the situation and monitor progress as relatives of the pilgrims beseech the operators for regular updates. The northern parts of the country are experiencing one of the worst spells of rain in recent times, causing landslides and flooding various bridges and roads. As this weather has coincided with the tourist season, the victim count is quite high. No less than 30 groups consisting of over 500 pilgrims and tourists from Gujarat have been affected by the situation.

Rohit Thakkar of Navbharat Travels and secretary of the Gujarat Railway Tour Organizers Association told TOI that 13 persons who are part of their group are stuck at Sitapur. "The situation is grave as most of the tourists don't have access to food, water or means of communication. Worst hit are the individual tourists. We believe that no less than 1,000 Gujarati tourists and pilgrims are present in the flood-hit areas. We had called a meeting of tour organizers whose groups are stuck and have decided to be in touch with the local administration to get regular updates. We have also contacted the regular hotels used by our operators to extend every help possible," he said. The operators said that the most worrisome part is the lack of communication. "The rains have not only damaged the landline network but have also affected the mobile phone towers, making it difficult to ascertain whether the groups have been evacuated to safer places. We have crossed our fingers and is eagerly awaiting a phone call saying all is well," said a relative of a pilgrim to Kedarnath. The operators added that many schools and colleges have been converted into makeshift camps for the affected. "So far we have not got any official news of fatalities," said an operator. The calamity has also hit the group on its way to Kailash Mansarovar. Hitendra Makwana, a resident of Ahmedabad and part of the group, told TOI from Almoda that they had started off from Almoda and were on way to Dharsula when the group officials received news of a landslide ahead. After waiting for a day, they had retreated. "Many bridges and roads have been damaged beyond repair and thus the organizers are also apprehensive if the onward journey can be continued on the same route," he said.

The route to Kailash from Katgodam has been taken by a group of 53 of which 26 are from Gujarat. The group has a total of 22 women.