Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday claimed that his Government had managed to send heavy vehicles to Badrinath. “We have made roads safe for them to trudge their ways forward in the mountainous terrain,” he said.
As per report, around 750 persons have reached Badrinath and around 1,000 are on their way to the shrine along with Doli. The Chief Minister hoped what had happened during Kedarnath portal - opening ceremony would repeat in Badrinath too. Plan A, meant to ensure the portals of the four shrines are opened, has been executed.
“Now, we are focusing on Plan B the execution of which would ensure that the char dhams remain open for the pilgrims round the clock. Buoyed by the spectacle of so many people assembling at Kedarnath on April 24, he said the spirit would remain the same in the coming days. “Things are good as around 1000 people are coming to Badrinath along with Doli.
This speaks volumes of the pains taken by the State Government officials to inculcate confidence among the mass of the people. It is no insignificant thing that around 10,000 people were present at Kedarnath when the portals of the shrine were re-opened. The figure is four times more than what I expected,” he said.
To ensure round the clock facility to the pilgrims of Char Dhams, the Government had fixed the accountability among the Secretaries as well as the district magistrates concerned. After the portals of Badrinath are re-opened we would focus ourselves on the upcoming Mansarovar yatra. The additional Chief Secretary has been assigned the task to see to it that things are smooth.
Our priority is to make Mansarovar yatra route more comfortable than what it is now. Accordingly, we have allocated a fund worth Rs5 crore to Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), which organise the yatra. As the yatra is being organised at the international level we would not leave any stone unturned to adequately rise to the challenge, he added.
“lord Shiva had gone through this route to solemnise his marriage. Besides it we would also organise Chhota Kailash or Om Parvat yatra, which will be orgnaised on subsidised rates,” the Rawat said.
With the opening of the final portal of the Char Dhams being accomplished our Plan A will be completed and hereafter we would focus on Plan B, which will start by May 1. As part of it, the Government would ensure that the yatra routes remain functional round the year and late we would attach Jageshwar and Madmaheshwar with the yatra. However, with this addition, the Char Dham Yatra should not be re-christened as Six Dham Yatra. Ordinary mortal as I am I cannot dare to go for that,” Rawat said.
CM said when he was being given assignment as the CM of Uttarakhand the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice- president Rahul Gandhi had asked him to make sure that things are rebuilt in Kedarnath in a professional manner.
“I am happy that Rahul Gandhi has lauded the initiatives we have taken. I am relieved too. Now, it is time to devote what lies ahead of us with redoubled courage at conviction,” he said.
Now, major challenge is about how to check soil erosion which are happening due to Mandakini river. For this, the State Government has put nets but what is required is safety wall and we do not have much resources to execute this, the Chief Minister said.
“I am going to Delhi to seek financial support from them. We will have to make safety wall up to Chaura Bari and then between Rambara to lincholi with the river eroding soil from the base. Besides, we are going to develop Rambara as a memorial and will develop small kiosk on way to Kedarnath dham and a small township between Gaurikund and Bhimbali.
The Cabinet Committee on Disaster, which was constituted during Congress-led UPA regime, had sanctioned Rs8000 crore and we expect that we would get that money. So far we have received mere Rs1600 crore. With this fund being available, we would execute yatra route plans on a giant level, he said.
Speaking of Rahul Gandhi’s visit, CM said that his tour had created inquisitiveness among the people to visit Kedarnath. “We hope things would look up now. As economy looks up we would be able to check migration while generating employment opportunities within the state. We hope, in the next few years, the yatra will regain its old status and pilgrims’ figures would break all the previous records,” CM said.