No private vehicles to go to Gaurikund

Pilgrims on Kedarnath Yatra will not be able to take their vehicles to Gaurikund. Private vehicles will be allowed only till Sonprayag, six kilometers from Gaurikund. From this there will be travel shifts from Gaurikund by shuttle vehicles. Administration will soon issue permit for shuttle vehicles.

Gaurikund, the main stop of Kedarnath Dham, is six kilometers away from Sonprayag. From Gaurikund,  a walk begins for Kedarnath. Mangesh Ghildial, District Magistrate of Rudraprayag, told that earlier there were two parking lots were there in Gaurikund. Their capacity was approximately one and a half thousand vehicles. During the 2013 disaster, both the parking spots were hit by the flood in the Mandakini river. Since then, parking arrangements have not been made here. He said that besides the road going from Sonprayag to Gaurikund is very narrow and sliding zone is also active in three places. Debris comes in light rain here. Given the safety of the passengers, the SDRF will be deployed on the route.

The District Magistrate informed that parking at Sonprayag has been constructed at a cost of Rs 75 crores. Apart from this, there is also parking facility in Sitapur and Triyuginarayan. In this, more than three thousand vehicles can be parked. He said that for the convenience of passengers, shuttle vehicles will be run between Sonprayag and Gaurikund.