The road construction, especially on the way to Kedarnath, is being delayed due to uncertainty about who will build the 74-km long road between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund — the BRO or the PWD.
Talking to The Pioneer, an official said that BRO had slowed down or stopped working on this route because they had confusion that the road will be made by the PWD and PWD officials were also in dilemma thinking that the road will be prepared by BRO. Ultimately, there has been no progress in the 74-km stretch which was damaged in four or five place, due to the recent disaster.
This uncertainty had doubled because BRO, which was supposed to receive Rs 250 crore, has received mere Rs 12 crore from the Union Government so far. They said that if funds allocation process moves at a snail's pace, the road would not be repaired even in next five years. Talking to the media, CM Bahuguna further said that BRO is not working seriously; so he is going to Delhi to meet defence minister again.
Talking to The Pioneer, Rudraprayag DM Dr Raghav langer said that after disaster, which happened in June 16-17 and state had witnessed devastation including around 5,000 people died and most of the infrastructure like roads and building in and around temple either washed away or damaged, BRO had made road through riverbed before reopening of Kedarnath shrine in September 2013, but the road between sonprayag to Kedarnath needs to upgradation like in several places it needs railing or protecting wall as well.
Currently, local people are silent due to inclement weather but as weather improve then they would rush to Kedarnath dham to re-establish their remaining before next Yatra season and problem will begin. Administration priority is to re-build the infrastructure at least building of Temple committee and police station ahead of Yatra season.
As far as rehabilitation of Kedarnath area is concerned then we are waiting for the Geological survey of India (GSI) report because they would take final decision on it. Thereafter government would take final call whether the area should not declare as no mans land or notIJ. Talking about the transfer of road construction work to the PWD, DM langer said that he does not about any such communiqué between PWD and BRO so far. We knew it through media only.
He further said that BRO have expertise on cutting roads with permanent feature and they build long lasting road. Although they are not answerable to the state and their mechanism is completely different from PWD. Taking cognizance on slow progress of the road construction by BRO, State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had meeting with Defence Minister AK Antony and Union Transport & National Highway Minister Oscar Fernandes in November 2013.
Then CM had alleged that State of the Rudraprayag–Gaurikund route, which is part of NH-109, was very bad and BRO is not rebuilding the road seriously. Seeing their lackadaisical approach state government’s PWD made a proposal of Rs 46 crore for its reconstruction of raod between Rudraprayag to Gaurikund after inspection.
Even verbal approval was obtained to hand over the work to PWD. later CM had made clarification that the state government does not want to take the entire task of the BRO. We want to just build the road because the road has important for the tourism. On January 5, CM Bahuguna expressed disappointment over the slow progress of BRO over the road construction between the above mentioned route.
During the meet, the issue of repair and maintenance of other stretches of the National Highways such as the Narsan–Nepali Farm (NH 58), Nepali Farm–Dehradun (NH-72), Bazpur–Sitarganj (NH-74) and Rudrapur–Kathgodam (NH 87) was discussed. Sources said that BRO has received mere Rs 12 crore since June 2013. Although they were sanctioned Rs 250 crore for the repair of road but in reality they have received less than five percent of their sanctioned money. It has raised question mark whether the Union Government is serious about re-opening of road.