Uttarakhand: Kedarnath Dham Yatra halted amid falling stones

RUDRAPRAYAG (Uttarakhand): The Kedarnath Dham Yatra has been temporarily halted for now due to falling debris and stones at the Munkatia Sliding Zone under the Sonprayag area in Uttarakhand, police said on Thursday, adding that it will resume once the administration clears the road.

“The road is blocked due to debris and stones falling in the Munkatia Sliding Zone under the Sonprayag area. The Kedarnath Dham Yatra has been temporarily halted for now. The Yatra will resume once the road is cleared”, Rudraprayag police said in their ‘X’ post.

#WATCH | Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand | SDRF rescued around 40 devotees stranded in the Sonprayag landslide zone while on their way back from Shri Kedarnath Dham.

Debris suddenly fell late at night near Sonprayag on the way to Kedarnath Dham, due to which more than 40 pilgrims… pic.twitter.com/3raGuM5PJ0

— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2025

The annual Char Dham Yatra, which includes pilgrimages to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, is one of the most significant religious journeys in Hinduism. The state government has undertaken a series of infrastructure upgrades in recent years — including improved roads, helicopter services, and better accommodation — to ensure a safer and smoother pilgrimage experience for devotees.

This year, the Kedarnath Dham has seen an unprecedented inflow of pilgrims, which officials attribute to both improved facilities and increasing spiritual interest. Authorities have also deployed enhanced security and medical response teams to manage the high-altitude yatra effectively.

The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located at an altitude of over 11,000 feet in the Himalayas and holds immense religious significance. The Kedarnath Yatra doors for the year 2025 were opened for devotees on May 2. (ANI)