Adi Kailash Yatra Second Phase Deferred To September 20 Amid Bad Weather And Damage

The second phase of the Adi Kailash pilgrimage in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district has been deferred until September 20 because of persistent bad weather and road closures affecting access to the high-altitude shrine. The pilgrimage was scheduled to resume on Tuesday, but authorities decided to postpone the reopening of the route after fresh disruption to the road network leading towards the upper Himalayan valleys. Officials said the September 20 date remains tentative and will depend on weather and ground conditions along the route.

Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ashish Joshi said Inner Line Permits (ILPs) for pilgrims travelling to Adi Kailash would now be issued from September 20, provided conditions improve and the route is considered safe. “That remains a tentative date,” Joshi said, adding that permits for the second phase would be issued only if the weather improves and the route is found suitable for travel. The decision reflects the administration’s focus on ensuring that pilgrims do not enter the high-altitude region while access routes remain vulnerable because of adverse weather and infrastructure damage.

The latest setback follows fresh damage to the strategically important Dharchula-Gunji road, which serves as a principal approach to the upper Himalayan valleys. A Bailey bridge near Kulagarh was washed away for the second time within a fortnight, disrupting connectivity along the route. The repeated damage has added to the difficulties faced by authorities in maintaining access to the pilgrimage area during a period of persistent bad weather. With the bridge serving as a key link on the approach towards the upper valleys, its loss has made it necessary for authorities to restore connectivity before the pilgrimage can safely resume.

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The Border Roads Organisation has begun rebuilding the damaged Bailey bridge, according to Joshi. At the same time, the Army has prepared an alternative route to maintain access to the high-altitude valleys while restoration work is under way. The parallel efforts are aimed at ensuring connectivity in the strategically sensitive region despite the damage caused by weather conditions. However, the availability of an alternative route does not automatically mean the pilgrimage can restart, as authorities are also assessing weather conditions and the overall safety of travel through the mountainous terrain.

Joshi said the administration would restart the pilgrimage only after receiving a clear indication that weather and transport conditions were safe. The approach reflects the challenges associated with conducting a pilgrimage in the upper Himalayan region, where weather can quickly affect roads and bridges and restrict movement. For pilgrims, the availability of a functioning route is particularly important because the journey involves travel through high-altitude areas where disruptions can leave travellers without reliable access. Authorities are therefore keeping the proposed September 20 restart subject to an assessment of conditions closer to the date.

The Adi Kailash pilgrimage route passes through a sensitive frontier belt close to the India-China border, making an Inner Line Permit mandatory for travellers entering the designated restricted area. An ILP is an official travel document that allows Indian citizens to enter or stay for a limited period in specified protected and restricted areas. The permit system is intended to regulate movement through such sensitive zones. For the second phase of the pilgrimage, authorities will therefore have to assess both the condition of the route and the wider security and travel environment before issuing permits.

The postponement means pilgrims planning to undertake the second phase will have to wait until at least September 20 for the next assessment and possible resumption of permit issuance. The date is not final, with the administration making it clear that any restart will depend on improvement in weather and confirmation that the route is safe. Meanwhile, reconstruction of the washed-out Bailey bridge and the preparation of an alternative route are expected to remain central to restoring connectivity to the upper Himalayan valleys. The administration will take a final decision based on conditions on the ground before allowing the pilgrimage to resume.

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