Fresh cracks develop on Badrinath highway amid Joshimath crisis

Cracks measuring one-to-two metres have developed on the Badrinath national highway in Joshimath.

The Joshimath town has been developing cracks, crevices and damage to its structures.

By Ankit Kumar: Cracks measuring one-to-two metres have developed on the Badrinath national highway in Joshimath, where expanding fissures in hundreds of residential and commercial buildings amid land subsidence has triggered panic and forced the relocation of hundreds of families.

District authorities, however, said the cracks aren’t “a cause of concern” and will be repaired before the annual pilgrimage to Badrinath, which usually starts in May.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said that there is subsidence on Badrinath Highway in Joshimath which the government is looking after. “Joshimath is not sinking, only the areas where people built septic tanks in their houses and did not have proper drainage have been affected. The rest of the Joshimath is safe,” he said.

Dr Ranjit Sinha, Secretary of the Disaster Management Department, said that after the selection of land for the construction of model pre-fabricated shelters in Dhak village, Chamoli, work has been started for land leveling, electricity, water, sewage etc.

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So far, an amount of Rs 3.62 crore has been distributed to 242 affected families as interim relief for the land subsidence and landslides in Joshimath.

“The initial discharge of water in Joshimath, which was 540 litre per minute on January 6, has come down to 136 litre per minute,” Dr Sinha said in an official statement.

The Himalayan town of Joshimath, which is the gateway to several religious sites and tourist attractions, has been hitting headlines over grave concerns. As flagged by reports under previous governments, the town has been developing cracks, crevices and damage to its structures. The reasons can be attributed to Joshimath’s topography, however, experts say that developmental projects and ill-planning led to the sinking crisis.

In addition to Joshimath, the same land subsidence phenomenon has been reported in other parts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri, and Karanprayag.

The Uttarakhand government has announced a relief package of Rs 45 crore for families in Joshimath. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also declared a relief package for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state.

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