Even though delayed, the repair work on danger zones on the Rishikesh-Gangotri highway has been started by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). These sensitive zones are stretches of the highway damaged during last year’s disaster.
According to sources in the BRO, the organisation has received about Rs 6.5 crore for repairing the damaged roads near Tachla, Aamsera, Nagni, Khadi and other villages after a long delay.
These danger zones had surfaced following the heavy rains last year and the BRO had started the work of metalling the roads but the work on the danger zones could not be continued due to paucity of funds as a result of which the highway to Gangotri was covered in earth material on various stretches.
With the funds being received, the BRO has begun the work of repairing the sidewalls and other needed works on the road from Rishikesh to Dharasu. However, the local business community is of the view that due to the delay in release of funds the roadworks will also be delayed as it would take around six months to repair all such danger points and by then the Yatra season would be over.
When contacted, Captain Vikas Parikh of the BRO said that with the organisation receiving about Rs 6.5 crore, the work of removing debris has begun after work on the sidewalls will be started only after clearing the debris from the road.
It is worth mentioning here that the State Government has faced a lot of flak, especially from the BJP, activists and villagers for not being able to facilitate timely repair and rehabilitation works in the disaster affected areas of the State.
Critics point out that the though the State Government has patted its own back for resumption of the Char Dham Yatra as scheduled, the damaged condition of roads to the Char Dham shrines will pose a problem for travelers especially in case of rain.