Chairing a meet to review preparations for the Ardh Kumbh Mela to be held at Haridwar in 2016, Urban Development Minister Pritam Singh Panwar directed departmental officials to work in coordination to ensure timely completion of all arrangements for this event.
Addressing the officials, Panwar said that all departments should select nodal officers for the Ardh Kumbh by July 15 this year. Directing officials to take their work seriously, he said that special focus should be laid on permanent works so that they may also be used for other purposes than the Ardh Kumbh. The Garhwal Commissioner and Mela Officer were directed to conduct inspections with departmental officers to ascertain the status of work proposals. A team of engineers from departments related to construction works should be formed and implement technical suggestions. The minister exhorted the officials for team work to ensure that the crores of Indian and foreign pilgrims and tourists expected to attend the Ardh Kumbh in 2016 do not face any inconvenience. Stating that the the Tourism Department is chiefly responsible for the Ardh Kumbh so the department should tourism information centres at various places so that pilgrims and tourists also visit other tourist spots in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand. The department should prepare an elaborate plan for this so that tourism also receives a boost along with pilgrimage in Uttarakhand. Departments should provide information by July 15this year about works to be undertaken on priority basis in the Mela area for the convenience of visitors so that budget allocations can also be made on priority basis. In addition to appointment of nodal officers, committees should also be formed by July 15 in addition to which the Mela area should also be demarcated on time.
Reviewing departmental works related to the Ardh Kumbh, Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar stressed that no work should be undertaken without site inspection and information about its importance.