Dehradun, Sept 2026 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, soon after returning from Delhi, reached the State Emergency Operations Centre at IT Park and reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue operations for trekkers and mountaineers stranded during high-altitude trekking in the state’s upper Himalayan regions.
The Chief Minister took detailed information from senior officials regarding the situation and directed them to accord the highest priority to the safe evacuation of every stranded person.
During a meeting at the State Emergency Operations Centre, Dhami reviewed the number of trekkers and mountaineers stranded in different districts, their current locations, the rescue operations carried out so far and arrangements being made to evacuate those still stranded.
He directed officials to ensure that there was no negligence at any stage of the rescue operation and that all available resources were used effectively, keeping weather and geographical conditions in mind.
Secretary Disaster Management Vinod Kumar Suman informed the Chief Minister that a total of 179 trekkers and mountaineers were reported stranded in different high-altitude areas of the state. Of these, 136 were stranded in Uttarkashi district, while 43 were in the Pindari Glacier area of Bageshwar district.
Dhami specifically reviewed the rescue operation underway in Uttarkashi. Officials informed him that 40 of the 136 people stranded there had been safely rescued. Another 40 people had so far declined rescue assistance and expressed their desire to continue their journey.
The rescue operation to evacuate the remaining trekkers and mountaineers safely will resume at 6 am on Monday, officials said.
The Chief Minister directed authorities to keep the safety of trekkers, mountaineers and porters as the top priority during the operation. He asked officials to arrange additional resources immediately, wherever required, and ensure close coordination among all agencies involved in the rescue effort.
Officials informed Dhami that eight helicopters had been deployed for the rescue operation. He directed authorities to make immediate use of available aerial resources whenever necessary. He also instructed that a helicopter ambulance be kept on standby so that immediate medical assistance could be provided to anyone requiring treatment during the rescue operation.
Dhami also spoke to the Uttarkashi District Magistrate to take stock of the situation on the ground. The District Magistrate informed him that, keeping weather and other conditions in view, the rescue operation for the remaining trekkers and mountaineers would resume at 6 am on Monday.
The Chief Minister directed officials to provide all necessary assistance and resources to the rescue teams and ensure continuous monitoring of the operation.
Dhami said the safety of residents as well as tourists, pilgrims and trekkers visiting Uttarakhand was the state government’s highest priority. He instructed all District Magistrates and concerned departments to maintain continuous surveillance in vulnerable areas and immediately initiate relief and rescue operations in the event of an emergency.
CM Also Reviews Char Dham Yatra Arrangements
During the meeting, Dhami also reviewed arrangements for the ongoing Char Dham Yatra. He sought information on facilities for pilgrims, security, cleanliness and other essential arrangements along the Char Dham route and directed officials to continuously improve the arrangements.
The Chief Minister placed particular emphasis on establishing robust and permanent solid waste management systems at the Char Dham shrines as well as other major religious and tourist destinations.
He said that with the growing scale of the Char Dham Yatra and religious tourism, arrangements based only on current requirements would not be sufficient. He directed officials to prepare a long-term and sustainable solid waste management plan keeping future requirements in mind.
Dhami asked the concerned departments to work in coordination to develop a system that ensures cleanliness at religious sites, environmental protection and the convenience of pilgrims.
He said it was necessary to make travel and tourism arrangements more systematic and sustainable while protecting Uttarakhand’s religious and natural heritage.
The Chief Minister further directed officials to ensure that every government mechanism functions with full promptness during disaster situations and that there is no compromise on the safety of any person during rescue operations.
He instructed the administration, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other concerned agencies to remain fully alert in vulnerable areas while continuously monitoring weather conditions.
Secretary Disaster Management Vinod Kumar Suman, Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swarup and senior officials from the Disaster Management Department and other concerned departments attended the meeting.
