Chief Minister Harish Rawat inaugurated various facilities costing more than Rs23 crore and unveiled the foundation for various other works costing more than Rs91 crore totaling to Rs115 crore in the disaster-affected Kedarnath Dham on Thursday.
CM inaugurated the 150X50 m. MI 26 helipad (Rs10.60 crore) meant to help in transportation of heavy machines to expedite the reconstruction works going on in Shri Kedarnath Dham area. The labourers, engaged in carrying heavy equipments and tools after dismantling them and later re-assembling them at Kedranath, sounded relieved.
Things were given an official seal after the chopper carrying the CM landed at the helipad. To stop landslides from wreaking damage, Nehru Mountaineering Institute (NMI) has been constructing iron fencing around the landslide prone areas approximately 100 meter behind the Kedarnath shrine. It is learnt that the giant-sized boulders even they break loose during rains would not come crashing down to damage the temple.
Various IT projects like Wi-Fi and local intranet network are being installed in Shri Kedar Valley by District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to strengthen the communication network and provide the security and facilities to the pilgrims. Shri Kedar Rescue Android Application, RFID trekking of mule and horses, lED Digital Display Board for weather information (Rs4.60 crore), 25 Cottages (Rs4.18 crore) are being constructed for pilgrims.
MI-17 helipad (Rs1.71 crore) of 70X40 m. at back part of Shri Kedarnath Temple, pilgrims’ reception centre near MI-17 helipad (Rs78 lakh), another such centre on MI-26 Helipad (Rs78 lakh) pilgrims’ restaurant at MI-26 Helipad (Rs60.99 lakh), two block- making machines for various reconstruction works (Rs18.62 lakh) and tile making machine (Rs17.22 lakh) are among the schemes inaugurated by CM Rawat at Shri Kedarnath Dham on Thursday.
Foundation stones were laid down for construction work of 113 buildings by Nehru Mountaineering Institute for rehabilitation of 2013 deluge- affected building owners and shrine priests (Rs41.95 crore), First, second and third wall construction of three- tier flood protection system for the security of public and assets of Shri Kedarnath Dham at the back side of Shri Kedarnath temple (Rs28.25 crore) is another such project. Among others are construction of ghats for holy bath at the confluence of Mandakini and Sarswati rivers (Rs8.85 crore), Shri Badrinath- Kedarnath Temple Committee office, Bhog Mandi and (Rs3.63 crore), Bailey bridge on Sarswati river near Punjab Sindh lodge ( Rs2 crore), another bailey bridge on Sarswati river near GMVN guest house, 50 feet broad footpath from Sarswati River Bailey Bridge to Shri Kedarnath Temple ( Rs1.50 crore) and renovation of “Sermon Hall” of Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (Rs 1 crore.)
Other dignitaries including two cabient minsiter Pritam Singh Panwar, Harak singh Rawat, MlA Shailarani Rawat, chief minister industrial advisor Ranjit Rawat, chief secretary Rakesh Sharma, Secretary disaster management R Meenakshisundarm, Garhwal Commission AS Napalchayal, Director General Information Vinod Sharma, MD GMVN C Ravishankar, Rudraprayag DM Dr Raghav langer and NIM Director Col Ajay Kothiyal were present there.