Dehradun, July 13, 2013: Debris brought over by overnight rains blocked the Badrinath National Highway near Nandprayag and Gauchar on Friday but clear weather led to resumption of air relief operations in affected areas.

Heavy overnight rains in Chamoli district brought mud and slush on to the Badrinath highway Friday, officials said.

However, efforts are on to clear the route by personnel of the Border Roads Organisation.

With the 14-km trek route to Kedarnath washed away in the recent floods, the Army has begun building an alternative 20-km route to the Himalayan shrine.

The new route is likely to follow the alignment from Sonprayag, Gomkar, Dev Vishnu, Dhungaj Giri and Kedarnath and will be 20 km in length, passing over an altitude of over 13000 feet, a release from the Army said on Friday.

“Surya Command conducted a reconnaissance of the area and began work on opening a route to the shrine,” it said. After much difficulty, Central Command personnel succeeded in building a crossing over the Vasuki Ganga at Sonprayag, it said.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 13, 2013.