'30,000 Pilgrims Daily': Huge Traffic Chokes Uttarakhand's Badrinath Route, Visitors Stuck For Hours | WATCH

Dehradun: Thousands of pilgrims travelling to Uttarakhand's revered shrines have been caught in massive traffic congestion near Joshimath, with long queues of vehicles stretching across sections of the Badrinath National Highway (NH-7). Authorities have introduced special traffic management measures, including a token-based gate system, to regulate movement and ease the pressure on the route.Videos circulating on social media show extensive traffic snarls in and around Joshimath, where vehicles are seen lined up for kilometres as pilgrims make their way towards Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib.In response to the situation, local police and district authorities have deployed additional personnel and implemented a one-way traffic regulation system.

Under the arrangement, vehicles are being allowed to move in batches at 30-minute intervals to reduce congestion and improve safety on the narrow mountain roads.

Speaking to ANI, Chamoli Superintendent of Police (SP) Surjeet Singh Panwar explained the reasons behind the traffic management measures. He said, ''Approximately 30,000 to 35,000 pilgrims are currently travelling daily to Shri Badrinath Dham, and another 5,000 to 10,000 are heading to Hemkund Sahib. This massive influx has significantly increased the pressure on our existing national and state highways. Specifically, in the Joshimath–Marwari–Vishnuprayag stretch, an approximate 10-kilometre section of the road is in very poor condition.''

He further mentioned, ''The natural ground subsidence that occurred in the Joshimath area a few years ago has severely impacted the road infrastructure there. As these infrastructure challenges persisted, we decided to implement a calculated one-way traffic system, keeping the narrow terrain in mind. We've established a systematic gate system near the Narsingh Temple in Joshimath. Because this gate system is stationed right there, devotees can seamlessly halt and visit the holy temple while waiting for their turn. The current traffic plan is functioning very effectively on the ground.'' According to officials, the surge in pilgrim traffic combined with damaged road infrastructure has placed significant strain on the highway network. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and regulate vehicle movement as large numbers of devotees travel to the Himalayan pilgrimage destinations during the ongoing yatra season.(With inputs from ANI)