BRO working to restore connectivity in disaster-hit Uttarkashi; DG says "clearing landslide near Gagnani will be priority"

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7 (ANI): As the Indian Army and local authorities continue their rescue and relief efforts in the flood-ravaged regions of Dharali and Harsil in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working tirelessly to restore critical road connectivity along the disaster-struck National Highway 34.
Speaking to the media, Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, Director General of BRO, said that the organisation is fully mobilised to reopen key routes and clearing the second significant landslide near Gagnani will be their priority.
"... The responsibility for the maintenance of NH-34 from Dharasu to Gangotri lies with the BRO. The distance from Uttarkashi to the disaster-hit Dharali is 96km. One major landslide on the national highway (NH) has been cleared. Our next step is to clear the landslide at Gagnani on the NH," he said, adding that further compounding the challenge is the 25-30-metre-long bridge at Limchigarh, which was completely washed away in the flash floods.
"A 25-30 metre long bridge at Limchigarh has been washed away. The stores to rebuild the bridge have been loaded into vehicles, and as we clear landslides on the way, we will keep moving forward with these stores. Launching this bridge in Limchigarh is very important for us, because only then will we be able to restore connectivity to Harsil," he said.
He added that the situation in Dharali remains critical.
Earlier in the day, Lt Gen Srinivasan met with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Ajay Tamta in Uttarkashi to brief them on the ground situation and challenges ahead.
"I was able to meet CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Ajay Tamta in Uttarkashi today, and they took stock of the situation... They assured us that they would provide all necessary state resources if needed. BRO is working in coordination with the Army...," he said further.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, Army Commander of the Central Command, interacting with ANI at the disaster-hit Uttarkashi, said that eight Army personnel and 30-40 labourers were missing.
"... Dharali has been absolutely demolished... Nearly 1.5 hours after the initial flash floods, another flash flood and mudslide occurred, destroying our Army Camp in South Harsil. As a result, Dharali was cut off from all forms of connectivity. For the initial rescue operation, Commanding Officer Col Harsh Vardha, 14 JAK RIF, along with his 150 personnel, were deployed at the scene," said Sengupta.
"When the mudslide entered our South Camp, seven jawans and one JCO went missing. We are trying our best to restore connectivity to Dharali village. So that travel from Harsil to Dharali becomes easy... 30-40 labourers have also gone missing... I want to assure the residents here, the Indian Army stands with you, and will help you overcome this destruction...," he added.
Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall struck the Kheer Ganga river in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Tuesday afternoon, causing significant damage and leaving several people feared missing.
On the other hand, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to carry out relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit areas of Uttarkashi district, following a severe cloudburst and mudslide that left several people stranded near Dharali village.
The state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple agencies. Two cloudbursts on Tuesday, one in Dharali and another in the Sukhi Top area near Dharali, caused widespread destruction, with Dharali bearing the brunt.
So far, 274 people have been rescued from Dharali, with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the missing.
Three civilians have been reported dead and over 50 people remain missing, as per the administration. (ANI)