The second phase of the Adi Kailash pilgrimage in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district has been postponed until September 20 due to adverse weather conditions and road closures, officials said on Monday.
The second phase of the yatra was scheduled to begin on September 15.
Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ashish Joshi stated that the issuance of 'Inner Line Permits' for pilgrims visiting Adi Kailash would commence on September 20, though this remains a tentative date.
He added that 'Inner Line Permits' for the second phase of the pilgrimage would be issued from September 20, provided weather and travel conditions in the region remain favorable.
An 'Inner Line Permit' is an official travel document that allows Indian citizens to enter or stay in certain protected and restricted areas of various states for a limited period.
Pilgrimage postponed amid weather and road concerns
According to the official, the start date for the second phase was deferred because the Bailey bridge near Kulagad on the Dharchula-Gunji route was washed away for the second time in two weeks.
Joshi said, "The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has begun reconstructing the bridge, while the Army has prepared an alternative route to access the high-altitude valleys.”
“Therefore, we will commence the pilgrimage only after receiving indications that both weather and transport conditions are safe for travel," he said.
Inner Line Permits remain suspended during monsoon
The Pithoragarh district administration had suspended the issuance of 'Inner Line Permits' for the Adi Kailash pilgrimage starting July 2, citing potential landslides along the routes during the monsoon and concerns for pilgrim safety.
Adi Kailash pilgrimage sees record footfall
Following the commencement of the pilgrimage on May 1 this year, a record 52,441 pilgrims visited Adi Kailash and Om Parvat within a span of two months.
The Adi Kailash pilgrimage in Pithoragarh began in 1981, alongside the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet, but it gained widespread popularity following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on October 12, 2023.