The Joshimath-Malari border road was blocked to traffic by a portion of the rocky cliff which fell down on the road. This has stopped movement of people living in the border areas of the region. The Border Roads Organisation officials State that the road would be cleared for traffic by Wednesday.
The motor road in this strategically important border region got blocked by debris from a portion of the mountain rock breaking and landing on the road. The blockage was reported from near Saldhar, situated as a distance of about 20 kilometres from the Joshimath town. According to local sources, the boulder debris fell on the road at about 4 pm on Tuesday due to which both local residents and army vehicles got stuck on both sides of the blockage. According to officials of the Border Roads Organisation, the debris will be cleared to reopen the road to traffic by the next day- Wednesday.
At present, with the motor road being blocked and movement being possible up to Suraitota, more than one dozen villages in the remote border region have presently lost road connection following the boulder fall.