For stranded Pune tourists,endless wait in Uttarkashi

She reached Uttarkashi on May 31 and was scheduled to travel by road for Dehradun from Uttarkashi on June 15 and then via train to Delhi,from where her flight to Pune was booked for June 16.

“It started raining heavily from June 15. All roads were blocked due to landslides and floods. Till June 15,I stayed at NIM but since I couldn’t travel further,I shifted to a local hotel. Thankfully,I haven’t faced any shortage of food and water,” says Prerna,who was planning to begin her college admission formalities for the new academic session from June 16 but couldn’t.

“Considering the unavoidable situation,the college has been cooperative and has agreed to wait,” says Mita,adding that all she wishes is her daughter reaches home safely.

“I wouldn’t mind Prerna wasting a year if she doesn’t get admission. I only wish that she is fine. I haven’t been able to speak over phone properly as mobile networks are down most of the time,” says Mita,a resident of Keshavnagar,Mundhwa.

Rajender Jamnal,owner of Hotel Everest,where Prerna is staying,says all hotels in Uttarkashi are full.

He explains that many people have come from hotels in Joshiara town,1.5 km to 2 km from Uttarkashi. “Almost 10 to 12 hotels in Joshiara were washed away in the flood. Of them,three had more than 50 rooms. All those who were evacuated from those hotels have shifted to hotels in Uttarkashi. I have 52 people from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan in my hotel,” says Jamnal.

A group of 13 pilgrims from Pune had reached Uttarkashi on June 12 for the char-dhaam yatra. “We covered Gangotri and Yamunotri. The day we were to leave for Kedarnath,there was heavy rainfall. The hotel where we were staying was submerged. We shifted to a different hotel,” says Chinchwad-based Anand Kulkarni,regional sales manager with a pharmaceutical company. He adds that there are around 7,000 tourists from across the country stranded in Uttarkashi.

Kulkarni is impressed by the hospitality of people in Uttarkashi. “The owner of Badri Guest House,where we are staying,is not charging us for our stay and food,” says Kulkarni,who hopes roads get cleared and his group gets back home as soon possible.