Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat remained stuck in Kedarnath, due to heavy snowfall, for over nine hours on Monday. Continuous snowfall started in the pilgrimage town on Sunday night and continued all day on Monday to disrupt chopper service. The weather cleared for a brief period, around 4.30 pm, allowing the CMs and their team to fly for Gauchar in district Chamoli for night stay. The portals of Kedarnath shrine, located in district Rudraprayag, was closed for a six-month winter break on Monday.
After attending the portal closing ceremony of Kedarnath temple, on Monday morning, both the CM walked towards the helipad ground at 7.30 am. Bad weather with low visibility disallowed any chopper flying and Yogi and Trivendra had to return to GMVN tourist lodge. Due to heavy snowfall, with the pilgrimage centre covered with about two feet snow, even undertaking the 14 km trek from Kedarnath to Gaurikund was not possible for the UP and Uttarakhand Chief Ministers. So they waited for the weather to clear.
Over 450 people attended the portal closing ceremony of Kedarnath on Monday morning. The ‘Panchmukhi Doli’ moved from Kedarnath to Rampur amidst snowfall, to thrill the devotees. U.P Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat were to attend a foundation stone laying function of the U.P Tourism at Badrinath on Monday. But, it got cancelled as the CMs got stuck in Kedarnath. The function is likely to take place on Tuesday.
Despite Covid-19 pandemic, over 1.35 Lakh pilgrims visited Kedarnath, in district Rudraprayag, this year. Located at an altitude of 11,755 ft above sea level, Kedarnath will reopen after six months of break in the summer next year.