Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that ensuring the successful completion of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra would help restore the State's image as a year-round tourist destination.
Addressing the media in Dehradun on Monday, Rawat said that the State Government had made necessary arrangements for parking, medical cover, drinking water, safety of devotees, communication and sanitation for the Raj Jat Yatra. He said that only those who are physically fit will be allowed to proceed to the higher altitude areas traversed during this Yatra like Nandkesari, Baan and Bedini. Traditionally, the locals feed the Yatris; so the Government has arranged food for the devotees beyond the high altitude area of Bedini.
"A 24-hour-vigil is being maintained on the route of this Yatra so that in case of the route being blocked anywhere, the Yatra will be held only for a few hours before being resumed. Apart from the wireless sets, the police have also been given satellite phones to ensure communication of vital information.
"We hope that the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra will send a positive message as we don't want Uttarakhand to be known as an inaccessible place, but as a State as normal as other mountainous areas in the nation. The disaster last year gave a jolt to our efforts that were about to succeed in making Uttarakhand a year-round tourist destination. We hope to achieve this status by facilitating the successful organisation of the Raj Jat," he said.