The Char Dham Yatra is getting an unprecedented initial response. The data of the tourism department reveals that about 60000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at Badrinath while 51000 have visited the Kedarnath shrine till Wednesday. Seemingly happy with the surge of the pilgrims, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat told the media persons at State secretariat here on Thursday that this year, the health department has made three fold increase in the facilities to the pilgrims on Yatra route this year as compared to last year. He informed that authorities have stationed a cardiologist on the bridle path of the Kedarnath shrine.
The CM also said that the private hospitals and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have also been roped in to augment health facilities to the Yatris. Apart from the cardiologist, the health department has also stationed 12 doctors on the bridle path of Kedarnath. At Kedarnath shrine authorities have stationed four specialist doctors.
The CM added that the bridle path leading to the Kedarnath which earlier was only 2.5 metre wide has been widened to 6 metres.
In reply to a question CM said that all village Panchayats in the State have been electrified but added that many Toks (small habitats) are yet to be connected with the power. He claimed that all these habitations would be get electrified within next two years.