A 13-member mountaineering squad of the Punjab Police has been deputed to the flood-ravaged areas of Uttarakhand to assist the pilgrims who had gone ahead of Gobind Ghat and were attempting to walk back to safety.
A government spokesman said here today that about 14km road-section has been washed away between Gobind Ghat and Hanumanchatti, including the only bridge and barrage of the 400 MW Jaypee Lamagarh Power Project.
"The pilgrims didn't have any other option but to walk along the Alakananda river to cross this stretch, which involved risky mountainous treks at some places," he said.
Along with the Indian Army, the Punjab Police Squad fixed ropes at these stretches to ensure pilgrims' safety and prevent them from falling into the gushing river waters.
These ropes were the only way down from Badrinath. About 800 people were assisted in crossing over, he said.
