HYDERABAD: More than 150 pilgrims from the city who went on the ‘Char Dham’ yatra are stranded at Yamunotri, Uttarakashi and other places in Uttarakhand. The tour operators here, however, informed that all of them are safe.

Despite communication system being affected badly, some of the tour operators here who are in regular contact with the pilgrims over phones are also claiming that provision of food, water and other necessities is being taken care of. According to Rao Travels MD, P. Sudhakar Rao about 360 pilgrims, including 140 from the city, had gone on the trip as part of package tours. “All our passengers are safe. Nearly 60 pilgrims were provided food and accommodation at Uttarakashi, and others at Yamunotri, Kedarnath. Some of them are already on their way back to Delhi while some others are being provided shelter at different places,” claimed Mr. Rao.

Similarly, Southern Travels, another agency, claimed that about 45 pilgrims, including 10 from the capital, were on this trip through two coaches operated by the company and they are safe. Generally, travel operators operate the 12-day trip covering the holy places of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. According to a rough estimate, every year, about 8,000 pilgrims go on this trip from the city.