The weather at the Char Dham Yatra shrines in India is getting worse, according to reports. Snowfall has been seen at the famous Kedardham and Badridham shrines. The Badridham will be reopened for pilgrims on April 27th, while Gangotri and Yamunotri will open five days earlier on April 22nd. Kedardham will be open for devotees on April 25th. However, snowfall is predicted throughout this week, with two upcoming storms at Kedardham around Saturday. The daytime temperatures are likely to drop from single digits, and the night temperatures are already sub-zero. The Met department is also predicting rain, which could disrupt traffic to all four shrines.
There are many Telugu yatris who travel to these shrines, but senior citizens should take care. The trek route to Badridham has seen fresh snow near Bhairav glacier, which could cause problems for enthusiasts. Disaster Management Authority official Surendra Rawat has warned pilgrims to be cautious. The weather in Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts has worsened to the point where road clearing works have been hampered completely, and officials are unable to inspect the works. Snow clearing will only begin when the snowfall stops.
Unfortunately, it is expected that the weather will continue to be bad until this weekend, with rain and snow and icy winds. Hundreds of Telugus travel to these religious destinations at the beginning of the season, and there are already many enquiries about visiting. Additionally, there is a threat of people in Joshimath staging roadblocks in protest against government negligence due to land sinking in the town.
