Though the State is yet to fully recover from the June 2013 disaster, the number of pilgrims visiting the Char Dham shrines has started increasing a bit since the end of the rains.
However, the number of pilgrims is still far lesser than the number of pilgrims who used to visit the Char Dham shrines during this season prior to the June 2013 disaster.
The authorities have managed to reopen many damaged roads to traffic in various districts of the State though scores of roads are still closed to traffic.
According to information received from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), in Rudraprayag district the Rishikesh-Kedarnath national highway (NH 109) is open for traffic.
The Guptkashi-Kalimath is blocked while five other motor roads in the district are also blocked.
An average of 100 pilgrims along with National Disaster Response Force personnel are departing from Sonprayag for Kedarnath on a daily basis. In Chamoli district the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway (NH-58) is open for traffic.
On Thursday, there were 798 pilgrims staying at Badrinath, 20 in Joshimath, 150 in Chamoli and 144 at Hemkund. A total of nine motor roads are still blocked in the district.
In Haridwar district the level of water in the Ganga at 4 pm on Friday was measured at 291.10 metres (danger level- 294 metres) with a discharge of 11,581 cusec. In Dehradun district three motor roads are blocked
while one is blocked in Pauri district.
In Uttarkashi district the Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway (NH 108) is open for traffic upto Gangotri while the Rishikesh-Yamunotri national highway (NH 94) is open
upto Jankichatti.
The Uttarkashi-lambgaon-Srinagar motor road is blocked by landslide debris with the PWD officials stating that the road could be opened for traffic on Saturday.
Three motor roads are blocked in the district. About 500 pilgrims have visited Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines in the past couple
of days.
The level of water in the Bhagirathi according to the Tiloth bridge gauge report at 2 pm was 1,118.90 metres (danger level 1124 metres).
Two motor roads are blocked in Nainital district, four in Bageshwar, three in Almora, 16 in Tehri and at least 11 in Pithoragarh.