Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand): A case has been registered in Uttarkashi against unidentified miscreants for defacing Gartang Gali, a wooden bridge located at the height of 11,000 feet in the Nelong valley near the Indo-China border which was reopened for tourists in August after 59 years.
A video of Gartang street surfaced on social media, showing that the bridge was defaced by tourists who wrote their names on the railing and performed stunts at its edge. After which, the members of the Anagha Mountain Association and Hotel Association associated with tourism have condemned this act and demanded strict action against the miscreants.
Speaking on the matter, Gangotri National Park Range Officer Pratap Panwar said, "The matter of defacing of Gartang Gali has come to our notice. Strict action will be taken soon after identifying these people.
"Since August 18, after the opening of Gartang Gali, tourists are continuously arriving to the spot. In two weeks, more than 350 tourists have visited Gartang Gali," he added.
Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said the defacement of the historic structure was unfortunate and directed officials to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Read: Historic Gartang Gali in Uttarakhand opens for tourists
"An FIR has been lodged against unidentified people in connection with the incident and forest personnel have been deployed along the skywalk to take strict action against people who try to deface it," Uttarkashi District Magistrate Mayur Dikshit said.
"Such things cannot be tolerated," he said, adding the defaced spot was being restored.
Condemning the defacement of the unique structure, President of the Hotel Association of Uttarkashi Shailendra Matuda wrote to the Gangotri National Park administration demanding strict action in the matter.
The wooden bridge was closed after the Indo-China war in 1962. It was reopened on August 18 this year after being repaired at a cost of Rs 64 lakh. The 136-metre-long skywalk has generated great interest among tourists. Recently, the Public Works Department has renovated this street at a cost of about Rs 65 lakhs, in which the terraced path has been reconstructed with cedarwood.
In a span of a little over a fortnight since its opening, 700 tourists have visited it despite Covid-19 restrictions.
Read: Chaukori: A paradise-like experience for nature lovers
Agency Inputs
