The Rudraprayag district magistrate Dilip Jawalkar has ordered a stop on ferrying of people by the trolley at Chandrapuri for safety reasons.

In his order, the DM has written that during his visit to the area, he had seen that the side of the trolley at Chandrapuri was sinking which had raised the risk of mishap while carrying people. He clarified that the trolley will be used only for transporting goods.

It will be recalled that the suspension bridge at Chandrapuri was destroyed following the flood and landslides in Kedarnath valley on June 16-17 after which a voluntary organisation had established a trolley there. Jawalkar informed that food stuffs were distributed in disaster affected Kandi and Pillu villages in the district on Thursday. Till date, rations had been distributed in 640 villages through 378 government fair price shop vendors.

On Thursday, a total of 39.45 quintals rice, 2.40 quintal flour, 0.93 quintal pulses, 71 litre cooking oil, salt and sugar was distributed in Shivanandi, Darmola, Basta, Falati, Dobha, Barmwadi and Dagur Semla villages in the district. The DM further informed that 59 of the 77 roads closed to traffic had been reopened in the district while work is on to clear the remaining 18 routes still closed to traffic.

Relief Commissioner BVRC Purushottam camping at Kedarnath, informed that his team searched on foot for SDM Ajay Arora who had fallen into the Mandakini river on Wednesday. He surveyed for a new bridle path, potable water facility and power supply facility. With the route from Rambada to Kedarnath being washed out in June, survey has been conducted for a new route to Kedarnath.

A report will be submitted to the State government. Since the disaster on June 16-17 the team headed by Purushottam was the first administrative team to reach Kedarnath by foot. Apart from the relief commissioner, the team comprised senior officers of the police, Jal Sansthan, Power department and Public Works Department.