CS directs executing agencies to expedite works with focus on quality
Thursday, 05 May | PNS | Dehradun/Joshimath
Ahead of the opening of the portals of Kedarnath and Badrinath the chief secretary Sukhbir Singh Sandhu visited the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines on Wednesday and conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction works there. The portals of the Kedarnath temple will open on May 6 while Badrinath will open for the public on May 8. The chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and a large number of pilgrims would remain present during the ceremony in Kedarnath.
The CS directed the officers of the work execution agencies to complete all the works with top priority while ensuring the quality. He said that the facilities for the pilgrim should be developed. The CS said that the construction of residential buildings for Teerth Purohits, hospital control centre, administrative building of Sangam Ghat Mandir Samiti, rain shelter for the pilgrims, Astha Path and other works should be completed as soon as possible. For this he directed the work execution agencies to increase the number of labourers and said that proper boarding and lodging arrangements for the labourers should be made.
Sandhu also directed the secretary tourism, district magistrate of Rudraprayag to make proper safety arrangements on the banks of Mandakini and Saraswati rivers.
The Rudraprayag DM Mayur Dikhsit gave a detailed account of the construction works going on in the Kedarpuri and said that all the directives given by the CS during the visit would be followed by the executing agency concerned.
The tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar, chief engineer of Public Works Department (PWD) Ayaz Ahmed and other officers accompanied the CS during the visit.
Arriving in Badrinath, Sandhu inspected the works being undertaken as part of the masterplan and directed the executing agencies to focus on the quality of work while also expediting its execution. The agencies were also directed to increase the manpower soon. Interacting with the traders, he said that temporary shops are being built for them for now and that permanent shops will be allocated after completion of the works. The Prime Minister’s Office is also monitoring the execution of the Badrinath masterplan on a daily basis, he added.
Later, the CS held a meeting with officials regarding the masterplan and preparations for the Yatra. Chamoli district magistrate Himanshu Khurana informed Sandhu about the works in progress and preparations for the Yatra. Sandhu directed the temporary accommodations should be built for labourers and other employees involved in the masterplan works. Inspecting the construction works on the bridle path from Govind Ghat to Pulna, he directed the executing agencies to expedite the works, adding that he will again conduct a site inspection after 15 days. Tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar, superintendent of police Shweta Choubey and other departmental officials concerned were also present on the occasion.
