The Uttarakhand Government is planning to gain brownie points by facilitating the resumption of pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib from September 21.
However, the locals are questioning the point in reopening the pilgrimage to the shrines without full repair of the damage at a time when about a fortnight is left for the closure of the portals of this shrine to the public. Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is slated to flag off the batch of pilgrims to Hemkund from Govindghat on September 21.
The Bhyundar and Pulna villages and other settlements in this region were destroyed in the disaster on June 16-17 but little has been done to rehabilitate the affected people here. The Government is instead focusing on resuming the pilgrimage to Hemkund for about a fortnight period before the portals of the shrine are closed for the winter.
After the disaster in June, pilgrimage to Hemkund was stopped like the Char Dham Yatra. The routes to the shrines are still disrupted in various places. An alternate bridge has been erected at Govindghat. Alternate bridges have also been provided for Bhyundar and Khwan areas. However, all the shops and stalls along the route to Hemkund have been closed by the owners. With the original route to the shrine damaged severely, an alternate route has been created through the jungle. In such a scenario, the locals question who will be responsible if anyone travelling to Hemkund meet with an unfortunate accident.
One has to trek for about 19 kms from Govindghat to reach Hemkund. The first stop over on the route is Govind Dham and though a route has been opened to Hemkund after the disaster, trekking on this route is dangerous. The mules too will be traversing on this narrow path for the first time.