Pilgrims on Badrinath National Highway were trapped in 10‑hour traffic jams during the second phase of the Char Dham Yatra on October 3, 2026, with thousands of vehicles clogging the stretch between Karnaprayag and Badrinath.
The congestion was most severe near Gopeshwar, Joshimath and Marwari, where long queues of cars, trucks and rickshaws stalled for hours, delaying devotees’ arrival at the shrine of Lord Badri Vishal.
The surge coincided with Pitru Paksha, increasing the number of pilgrims who had to perform ancestor rituals at Badrinath, further straining the already narrow roadways.
Badrinath district administration officials confirmed that road widening between Joshimath and Marwari has not yet been completed, a shortfall that the police say has made it difficult to keep traffic moving.
In response, traffic police have stationed additional officers at critical junctions and are coordinating with state transport authorities to clear bottlenecks, though the administration admits that infrastructure upgrades will take months to finish.
The next week, officials promise to intensify traffic control measures while a review of the route’s capacity is slated for the end of the month.