The Kinnaur district administration has ordered the immediate suspension of the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra 2025 on Tuesday, citing continuous heavy rainfall, falling rocks, and dense fog that pose serious threats to pilgrims’ safety. The decision comes after several casualties have already occurred due to the adverse weather conditions.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kinnaur, Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma, issued an official order on Tuesday under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, stating that considering the persistent bad weather and meteorological forecasts predicting continued rainfall and cloud cover for the next five to seven days, immediate precautionary measures are essential for public safety. “The yatra will remain suspended for the rest of the year until modified by further orders,” Dr. Sharma announced, emphasizing the gravity of the weather situation and its potential risks to human life.
According to the DC’s directive, any pilgrims attempting to proceed on the yatra route will be escorted back to the base camp, and those violating the suspension order will face action under the Disaster Management Act. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Kinnaur has been instructed to deploy adequate security forces in coordination with Home Guards and Divisional Forest Officer (DCF/DFO) Kinnaur to ensure the safe return of pilgrims currently on the route and prevent new entries.
Dr. Sharma has also directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kalpa to coordinate with relevant government departments, tourism associations, local panchayats, and other stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with the suspension order. All departments, local bodies, and enforcement officers have been instructed to implement this decision without any exceptions.
The district administration has made an urgent appeal to pilgrims to cooperate with authorities, follow the suspension orders for their own safety, and refrain from undertaking the pilgrimage until further notice. The administration emphasized that pilgrims should prioritize personal safety over religious obligations during these extreme weather conditions.
The Kinnaur Kailash Yatra 2025 commenced on July 15 and was originally scheduled to conclude on August 30. However, the pilgrimage has faced multiple suspensions since its inception due to continuous heavy rainfall and unpredictable weather patterns that have created serious safety concerns.
Meteorological reports indicate that the region will continue to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, dense fog conditions, risk of landslides and rockfalls, and poor visibility affecting travel safety. The administration’s decision reflects a proactive approach to disaster management, prioritizing human life over religious activities during extreme weather conditions.
As of now, the yatra remains completely suspended, and authorities are working to ensure that all pilgrims currently in the area are safely evacuated to designated base camps.
