Nearly 300 stranded in Madmaheshwar rescued after bridge on trekking route gets washed away
293 people stranded for two days have been safely rescued due to overflowing of the bridge on the Ransi-Gaundar-Madmaheshwar pedestrian track connecting second Kedar Madmaheshwar. While 190 people were taken by helicopter from Nanu to Ransi, 103 people were taken across the river with the help of a rope to Gaundar village from where these people have left for their homes via Ransi.
Administration, disaster management, police along with SDRF and local villagers have played an important role in the rescue operation. Rescue of passengers was started at 6 am on Wednesday. A temporary helipad was built at Nanu for the helicopters of Trans Bharat Heli Aviation. Around 60 shuttles were done by helicopter and 190 people were airlifted from Nanu to Ransi. 49 passengers were taken to Gaundar village after crossing the river with the help of a rope.
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar informed that on August 14, 2023, at 6:45 am on the way to Madmaheshwar, the iron bridge built on the Morkanda river was washed away at a place called Bantoli, due to which about 300 pilgrims were stranded in the Madmaheshwar temple. Under the direction of the District Magistrate, teams were sent to the spot for the safe rescue of the stranded passengers, in which teams of SDRF, NDRF, DDRF, Police and District Administration, Health Department were dispatched and the said teams immediately.
He informed that a rescue operation was conducted again today where a temporary helipad was made in Nanu by the local women in the Madmaheshwar Valley from where the stranded people were rescued and taken to Ransi via helicopter.
