NEW DELHI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,800 travellers including pilgrims have been stranded after landslides hit a highway in northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, officials said Saturday.
The landslides hit Rishikesh-Badrinath highway on Friday evening near Vishnuprayag in Chamoli district, about 303 km east of Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand.
"Last evening, landslides triggered here, following which Chardham pilgrims visiting Badrinath have been stopped at different places," a police official said, "The highway has been closed for the traffic by district authority between Joshimath and Badrinath."
Badrinath is a Hindu pilgrim site in Uttarakhand.
Local media quoted Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat as saying 1,800 tourists including pilgrims were affected due to highway blockade.
According to officials, the landslides drifted huge boulders from mountain, resulting in the blockade.
Officials have asked the Border Roads Organisation, which is responsible for building roads and tunnels in the hilly areas, to clear the road and have stopped pilgrims at Joshimath, Pipalkoti and Karnaprayag, the district magistrate confirmed.
"The road will be opened for the traffic by this afternoon today," a district official said. "The pilgrims have been asked to stay at their places and nor proceed until the road gets cleared."
Uttarakhand has a rugged terrain. Landslides are often triggered from its mountains during frequent rains.
