Posting of Tehsil and block level officers at Govindghat to facilitate the pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara is causing inconvenience to the locals in Joshimath. The locals complain that with officials from Joshimath being posted at Govindghat to facilitate helicopter transportation for visitors, various routine works and development works are being hampered in the absence of these officials. However, aviation companies operating helicopter flights to Ghangharia towards Hemkund Sahib are doing brisk business.With smooth flow of traffic being hampered on the route to Hemkund and Badrinath temple, the State Government has facilitated helicopter service for visitors.
The helicopter ride to Badrinath or Ghangharia from Govindghat costs Rs2,500 per person with the State Government paying the rest of the amount. The State administration has posted its officials of the Tehsil and Block levels from Joshimath to Govindghat to manage the helicopter service for visitors. However, this is hampering various works in Joshimath, from where these officials have been temporarily shifted. The locals point out that three years after the June 2013 disaster wreaked havoc, the State Government has failed to execute any quality repair or reconstruction works.
Most of the road works and other tasks executed are of a temporary nature and not expected to last long. In a period of three years, the authorities were able to construct only one temporary bridge near Bhyundar on the Govindghat-Ghangharia route towards the lakshman temple and Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. Even this temporary bridge did not last the first spell of rainfall this year and was swept away in the waters of the lakshman Ganga river. Another temporary bridge has been erected here to enable visitors to walk towards Hemkund. However, helicopter service is also being provided for those who can afford it. The locals complain that the authorities are facilitating the helicopter service for visitors here mainly to benefit the aviation companies because the local businesses are nor benefiting from this facility.