Mussoorie marooned after Dehradun floods; roads collapse, patients trapped, hotels offer free stay

Since Tuesday, Priyanka Bisht has been desperately trying to reach Dehradun after her husband Mukesh’s creatinine levels spiked. Mukesh, a Mussoorie resident and kidney patient, was due for his routine dialysis that day. The couple set out by car but had to turn back at Galogi, with all connecting routes to Dehradun blocked.

By Wednesday, Mukesh was among 12 patients gathered at the ITBP helipad in Mussoorie, waiting for an airlift.

The crisis followed a cloudburst in Sahastradhara, Dehradun, early Tuesday, which claimed at least 13 lives, with 16 more feared missing. The Disaster Management Authority confirmed 15 bodies had been recovered across Uttarakhand — 13 in Dehradun, and one each in Pithoragarh and Nainital. Several others remain unaccounted for after the cloudburst that struck late Monday night. The disaster also left towns like Mussoorie cut off, with multiple landslides blocking even alternative routes.

According to the tourism department, 511 stranded tourists have registered on their portal, though the actual number is estimated to be in the thousands.

Mukesh has been receiving dialysis at Krishna Medical Centre in Dehradun since his kidney failure diagnosis in 2023. At the helipad on Wednesday, 10 other kidney patients and two pre-surgery patients waited alongside him. “The weather has grounded flights. His condition is worsening with each delay,” Priyanka said.

Also at the helipad was Rajat Aggarwal, president of the Mussoorie Traders Welfare Association, who has been coordinating relief with state authorities. On Tuesday, as Mussoorie’s isolation became clear, the association instructed hotels to provide free lodging and meals to stranded tourists who were due to check out that day.

“We cannot profit from a tragedy. These tourists have had to cancel flights and plans. Charging them in such a situation would be unfair. We are also working with authorities to explore alternative roads to Dehradun,” Aggarwal explained.

At present, the Mussoorie-Dehradun highway remains blocked at multiple stretches. Locals are trying to assess the longer Chamba-Tehri-Rishikesh and Vikasnagar routes. “Though these detours are over 100 km, many tourists are taking them to catch their flights,” he added.