Despite the Government's best efforts to ensure safety of pilgrims and rebuilding of infrastructure before the Char Dham Yatra slated to resume on May 2, officials feel that the phobia of June 2013 calamity will restrain visitors from visiting Kedarnath and other Himalayan shrines in 2014.
"Safety of pilgrims is our foremost priority and all precautionary measures are being taken by the officials, but the sense of insecurity among the people is bound to restrict visitors including pilgrims and local inhabitants' numbers in Char Dham, especially Kedarnath, this year," Dr Raghav langer, DM of Rudraprayag, told The Pioneer. Dr Raghav further said: "Keeping in view last year's disaster, we have made alternative route via Choumasi and made arranagements of ration as well. If anything happens like last year, we would be able to evacuate people and will be able to provide them food as well. Even we have identified strategic points."
"To instill faith among pilgrims, we have already deployed the State Disaster Response Force enroute to Kedarnath Dham. As per Government instructions, we have decided to open six halts, where food will be provided free of cost by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), till June 30.""Besides that, we have installed 11 KV feeder line to provide round the clock power supply. Even Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, which has been assigned to build road between Rambara and Kedarnath, people have built road upto lincholi. Now PWD officials are busy in installing railing so that people would get support while visiting Kedarnath."
"People are still afraid and this will not end overnight. It will recede gradually. We have decided to facilitate pilgrims who come and will make sure that they return by becoming our brand ambassador,"Dr Raghav added.