Uttarakhand Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya on Monday said that the roads, houses and other infrastructure in the flood-hit state was destroyed and would take some time to renovate.
"The water supply lines are damaged, electricity power lines are also not working, the communication arrangement has been shaken, but our focus is on rescuing the stranded people and shifting them to safe places. The work on the infrastructure will continue for long, as it's a time consuming process. We will have to redevelop everything, as many villages are there where people don't even have shelters," he told the media in Dehradun.
Meanwhile, Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) Director General Ajay Chadha said that the rescue forces faced problems today while flying the helicopters due to inclement weather.
Chadha said that the operation would continue to carry the rescue operation if the weather improved.
"Today the weather is not very good in Badrinath and Kedarnath (axis) and air operations have not started. In Harshil sector, operations have started, 3 (sorters) have already taken off, and evacuation has started. (In) Kedarnath, very few people are left, about 40 persons are there at Kedarnath, mostly priests. (In) Bhairav Kunda also 25 locals are there, at night they were gone back to their houses, they were not available there," Chadha said
"Jungle Chatti has been cleared, Bhairav Chatti, there are about 150 people, but because of bad weather, we are unable to evacuate them. As soon as the weather clears, within two hours we'll be able to evacuate all these 250 people or so," he added.
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Nearly 15,000 people remain stranded in Uttarakhand, as the relief and rescue operations in the hill state have been affected due to bad weather today.
Military helicopters have been grounded because of bad weather, suspending the evacuation by air of those still stranded, many without food and water, in remote areas of the state.
Former Union Home Secretary VK Duggal, who has been appointed by the Centre, to look after the coordination among agencies involved in relief and rescue operations has expressed satisfaction over the evacuation operation conducted by the Army, ITBP and NDRF.
Duggal told the media in Dehradun that operational issues have been discussed with officials and if any additional help will be required, it will be raised before the Centre.