Heavy Snowfall Cripples Normal Life Across Uttarakhand's Hill Districts
Heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand on Wednesday severely disrupted normal life across several hill districts, leading to widespread closures of interior roads, state highways, and national highways. The intense weather conditions left dozens of villages grappling with electricity outages, creating significant challenges for residents and authorities alike.
Road Connectivity Severely Impacted Across Multiple Districts
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, nearly two dozen roads remained blocked across Uttarakhand until Wednesday evening. This included one national highway in Dehradun district and five border roads in Pithoragarh. Authorities reported that snow accumulation rendered key mountain routes dangerously slippery and unsafe, prompting precautionary restrictions on vehicular movement to prevent accidents.
In Uttarkashi district, continuous snowfall from Tuesday to Wednesday morning severely disrupted connectivity. Nine roads were closed, including critical stretches like the Gangotri National Highway (NH-108) and the Barkot-Jankichatti section of the Yamunotri National Highway (NH-94/134). The Gangotri highway remained blocked from Songad to Gangotri, while the Yamunotri route was shut from Syana Chatti to Jankichatti. Approximately four to five inches of snow near Radi Top blocked traffic up to Orchha, though some stretches of both highways reopened by Wednesday evening following intensive snow clearance operations.
The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) confirmed that snow clearance was prioritized on main routes to restore essential connectivity. "Work continued until Wednesday evening on the Gangotri route, particularly between Gangotri and Sukhi Top," an official stated, highlighting the ongoing efforts to mitigate the disruption.
Power Supply Disruptions Affect Numerous Villages
Power supply was badly affected across the region. In Uttarkashi district alone, electricity outages were reported in 98 villages across four development blocks. While supply was later restored in most areas, significant challenges persisted:
- Power has remained disrupted in the Gangotri area of Bhatwari block since January 23.
- 35 villages in Barkot block continued to face outages.
- 25 villages in Netwar (Mori block) were without electricity.
- 15 villages in Arakot experienced ongoing power disruptions.
Tourist Influx and Safety Concerns Amid Snowfall
Shailendra Matuda, president of the hotel association in Uttarkashi, noted that the recent snowfall has led to a noticeable increase in tourist arrivals in the Harsil valley, as visitors were keen to experience the winter landscape. However, he cautioned that road conditions beyond Sukhi remained hazardous due to snow and ice accumulation. Urging tourists to prioritize safety, Matuda appealed to visitors to avoid unnecessary travel on risky stretches and strictly follow advisories issued by the authorities.
Chain Singh Rawat, a businessman from Sankri in Mori block, observed that the fresh spell of snowfall in popular trekking areas such as Kedarkantha and Har-Ki-Dun has resulted in a sharp rise in tourist movement. "While the snowfall has enhanced the region's appeal among trekkers and nature enthusiasts, it has also increased pressure on local infrastructure and required heightened caution during travel," he remarked.
Additional Districts Grapple with Snowfall Consequences
In Rudraprayag district, Kedarnath and surrounding areas received three to five feet of snow, severely affecting movement and essential services. Bageshwar district also witnessed major disruption, with continuous snowfall cutting off several interior areas. Five roads, including those under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Public Works Department in Kapkot, were blocked. The Rikhadi-Vachham road was among the worst affected, while partial power outages were reported in several villages.
District disaster management officer Shikha Suyal confirmed that loader machines were deployed to clear snow and reopen roads, emphasizing the coordinated response to restore normalcy in the affected regions.
