Portion of U'khand highway caves in following landslide, traffic diverted

A portion of Gangotri National Highway caved in due to a landslide near the Forest Department office at Lisa Depot in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi disrupting vehicular movement on Saturday.

According to officials, a stretch of around 60 meters has caved in and the area is close to an airstrip said to be strategically important.

The nearby Tehri Dam is said to be the reason for the landslide, said officials.

Authorities have erected a sign board for commuters to avoid any untoward incident.

Border Roads Organisation OIC, Vinod Kumar Devadi said that the higher officials have been informed for treatment by putting up a danger sign board.

On Friday as well 500 meters ahead of Bhatwadi, the highway has been closed to traffic since morning due to falling debris.

This has caused a disruption for the devotees of the Gangotri Dham Yatra, who are now stranded on the route, according to the district administration of Uttarkashi.

Meanwhile, the road near Nandaprayag and Chhinka on the Badrinath National Highway which was blocked due to debris earlier today has been opened, officials said.