The pilgrims and tourists arriving in Uttarakhand continue to face hardships with things remaining laggard with regard to the construction of National Highway cutting through Garhwal region. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the National Highways Authority (NHA) have been given the task of constructing the highways.
The Rishikesh-Badrinath, Rishikesh-Kedarnath, Rishikesh-Gangotri and Rishikesh-Yamnotri National Highways are deemed important as far as success of Char Dham Yatra is concerned.
After the natural calamity ravaged Uttarakhand in June 2013, the State Government claimed to have done everything to ensure safe Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamnotri yatras.
However, things are far from satisfactory as roads are in bad shape due to continuing landslides. Along the Rishikesh-Kedarnath and Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highways, there are two danger zones at Sarobagarh and lambagarh, which have been proving to be the greatest roadblocks during the rains for decades.
However, the State Government has failed to find a permanent solution to the recurring problem despite crores having been spent on that count.
The enormous funds seem to have gone down the drains with things remaining the same at Sarobagharh for Kedarnath and Badrinath and lambarghar for Badrinath routes, said the aggrieved people.
What is happening is that the pilgrims and the tourists have to wait for days for the blocks to be cleared when it rains heavily.
Moreover, Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway has its strategic importance as it passes through stretches bordering Tibet-China. When this highway gets blocked, it becomes difficult for the authorities to provide food grains and other essential materials to the army personal deputed on the border.
The people grumble over the fact that Uttarakhand after becoming a State has not helped matters in the least.
In Sarobagarh where a bridge can solve the seemingly endless problem, things seem vegetating. Similar is the plight of lambagarh.
According to official sources, Uttarakhand has different construction divisions for the plains and mountainous areas in both Garhwal and Kumaon regions.
The Roorkee division of National Highway Authority is responsible for the construction of highways in the plains while as its Dhumakot division in Pauri and Badkot division in Uttarkashi are responsible for the construction of highways in the mountainous terrains in Garhwal.
In Kumaon region, Haldwani division of NHA is responsible for the construction of highways in the plains while as Almora division is responsible for the same in the mountainous region. In addition, DGBRO is in charge of the construction of the National Highways on the Char Dham circuit.