275 TN pilgrims rescued from Uttarakhand: Government

NEW DELHI: Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure safe return of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who are stranded in Uttarakhand's calamity-hit Kedarnath and Badarinath, state government officials said here today.


Out of the 377 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who are stranded in the two holy places, 275 travellers were brought to Tamil Nadu House here, officials said.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has announced that all the travellers from Tamil Nadu who are stranded in Kedarnath and Badarinath area will be brought to Dehradun by helicopter and by flight from Delhi to Chennai at free of cost.

"Accordingly, till today 275 travellers from Tamil Nadu were brought to Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi and they are provided with accommodation, food and medical assistance," they said.

A medical camp with government doctors from the state has been set up at Tamil Nadu House to provide medical aid to the pilgrims, the officials said.

They said special arrangements have been made to send back the pilgrims to Chennai by flight. Designated state government official is also accompanying the travellers up to Chennai.

Arrangements for their journey from the airport to homes have also been done, they said.

A high-level state government team is still camping in Haridwar to coordinate with the Uttarakhand Government and central agencies in rescue mission, officials added.