Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on July 24 said that all 115 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand’s Gunji have been evacuated brought to safety in Pithoragarh.“I am happy to inform that all Kailash Mansarovar Yatris stranded at Gunji (Uttarakhand) have been evacuated and brought to Pithoragarh by IAF helicopters,” Swaraj tweeted..
Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN, nodal agency for yatra) officials informed that pilgrims were finally airlifted by IAF helicopters from the Naini-Saini airstrip to Gunji as the weather on the base camp cleared after 10 days. Meanwhile, the 5th and 6th batches of pilgrims who were stranded at Gunji for the last 10 days on their way back were also flown to Pithoragarh.
“With three batches of pilgrims airlifted today, we have eased the burden on the Nigam workers as well as the pilgrims who were tired of waiting,” KMVN General Manager TS Martolia said.
KMVN official said that delay in the journeys of Mansarovar pilgrims due to bad weather condition may cause a revision of yatra schedule.
KMVN GM added that the agency will have to seek new dates from the Chinese authorities and for this we have already written to the External Affairs Ministry and the ministry will talk to the Chinese government accordingly for issuing new entry date for the delayed batches.
