Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday announced the establishment of a temporary control room in Joshimath to enhance monitoring of rescue operations following an avalanche that trapped 52 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers.
He assured that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Home Ministry (HMO), and the Defence Ministry (RMO) are receiving regular updates on the situation. “The Indian Air Force helicopters are on standby and will commence operations as soon as weather conditions improve. Additional rescue teams are approaching the site via road. We are setting up a temporary control room in Joshimath to strengthen coordination,” Dhami informed reporters.
Rescue Efforts and Helpline Numbers
CM Dhami revealed that the trapped workers hail from various states, prompting the state government to issue helpline numbers for assistance. “We are praying for everyone’s safe return,” he said. Multiple agencies, including the disaster management department, district administration, ITBP, Indian Army, NDRF, and SDRF, are actively engaged in rescue operations. “We will seize every weather opportunity to airlift the rescued workers to hospitals,” Dhami emphasized.
Latest Rescue Updates
On Friday evening, CM Dhami reviewed the situation at the disaster control room and instructed officials to expedite rescue efforts. Currently, bad weather and low visibility are hampering helicopter rescue operations. However, snow experts and ITBP teams are working tirelessly to reach those still trapped. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has deployed a specialized medical team, including three doctors, four ambulances, and an engineering team, to assist in the rescue and restore connectivity between Mana and Joshimath.
The Uttarakhand government has set up helpline numbers for those seeking assistance:
Mobile: 8218867005, 9058441404Telephone: 0135 2664315Toll-Free: 1070