Around 10 more large cracks have appeared on the Badrinath highway close to Joshimath not long after the Uttarakhand government announced the Char Dham yatra's commencing dates. The Badrinath shrine town, one of the busiest pilgrimage destinations in the Garhwal Himalayas, is connected to the highway. Locals claim that a 10-kilometer stretch between Joshimath and Marwari has developed cracks.
Sanjay Uniyal, office-bearer of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (JBSS), a citizens’ group which has been highlighting the subsidence problem in Joshimath, said, “There are new cracks in at least 10 places on the Badrinath highway near Joshimath. Contrary to the state government’s claims, old cracks are widening and fresh cracks are emerging too. ”
According to locals, the cracks are particularly noticeable on the section of the roadway in front of the SBI branch, close to the railway guest house, before Jaypee Colony, and close to Marwari Bridge. According to resident Pranav Sharma, a tiny portion of the highway has also shifted close to "zero curve" in the hill town of Ravigram municipal ward, which has experienced significant subsidence.
Moreover, the cracks on the highway which were earlier filled with cement by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have started to resurface, he added.
A senior geologist said, “The spots where the cracks have appeared must be investigated in detail by experts to establish whether there is correlation with the subsidence or not.”
Atul Sati, convenor of the JBSS, said the fissures are “a major cause of concern”. “The Badrinath highway is already facing subsidence in the lean season. We don’t know what will happen when thousands of vehicles ply on the road during the peak time of Char Dham yatra.”