The State Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh inspected ongoing re-construction works in Kedarnath Dham along with Rudraprayag district magistrate and other senior officers on Saturday.
Singh inspected ongoing ghat construction works on Sarastwati river, flood safety works, buildings built for pilgrims and priests, the two- tier barrier and the drainage system located near MI-26 helipad. He also took stock of the bridge construction works going on Saraswati river near Punjab Sindh lodge. On the occasion, chief secretary directed the executive agencies to speed up the rehabilitation works so that the pilgrims would face no problem during the next pilgrimage season.
Besides, the chief secretary inspected routes on foot from Bheem Bali. Singh directed the district magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal to install CCTV cameras at all stations from Gaurikund to Kedarnath so that construction works could be completed under surveillance. He also directed the officers concerned to use drone for monitoring the progress of the ongoing projects.
CS further directed the officers concerned to make the land located behind the shrine plain and be developed as park after land skipping. Besides, the debris must be removed from behind the temple, said CS, adding that Nehru Institute of Mountaineering was directed to complete such works. As per the expectation of the PM Narendra Modi, Kedarnath temple platform would be extended by the PWD, he said. He also directed NIM officers to complete the power plant project of UREDA at Kedarnath Dham within a fortnight. In addition, he directed the district magistrate Ghildiyal to ensure that all the electricity wires are made underground.
Ghildiyal said that a string of projects like flood safety works on Saraswati and Mandakini rivers, restructuring of ghats, the samadhi of Adi Shankarcharya and museum damaged by the flash flood 2013 are now on. “Besides, the shrine premises and its neighbourhood are being beautified,” he added. Among others who accompanied the CS during the inspection were the principal secretary (irrigation) Anand Vardhan and secretary disaster management Amit Singh.
Mention worthy, the state government had made presentation on Kedarnath reconstruction works to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Jolly Grant airport on Friday evening. The PM had been informed that a high powered committee was formed under the chief secretary for the Kedarnath reconstruction works.