1,353 pilgrims trapped in Uttarakhand

Mumbai: Trapped in the Uttarkhand floods are 1,353 pilgrims and tourists from Maharashtra and out of these 334 are still not traceable, according to state officials.

Among the 334 missing pilgrims are nine women who are feared dead.

The state government has not only set up a helpline and Relief Coordination Unit in Dehradun, with officials sent from Maharashtra centre in New Delhi but the state chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan, has also given Rs100 million as aid for flood relief work to the chief minister of Uttarkhand.

Pradeep Kumar, Additional Resident Commissioner, who is heading the unit in Dehradun, told Gulf News on telephone that calls have been pouring from all parts of Maharashtra from relatives and friends inquiring about their loved ones trapped in the flood waters. “We are also getting some calls and messages from those trapped in the mountains but the connectivity is poor. We are expecting connectivity to improve soon. In the meantime our rescue and relief operations have begun,” he said.

With the suffering of the trapped pilgrims compounded by roads being washed away, telephone network affected and batteries of mobile phones dying away, tour operators are also coordinating with the government on where the pilgrims could be trapped. The government has also started one more camp office as a help centre in Haridwar. Stranded passengers from Maharashtra will be offered a special flight from Delhi-Mumbai after being airlifted from Uttarakhand.

The number of travellers who visited the Himalayan shrines of Uttarakhand are from different districts of Maharashtra where helpline numbers have been set up.