Rudraprayag: Following the landslide incident on Sonprayag-Gaurikund highway on Kedarnath route on Monday evening which claimed five lives, the Uttarakhand administration is geared up to make more robust safety measures for pilgrims. Now the pilgrims will cross the danger zones wearing helmets.
Apart from this, pilgrims will be informed about weather changes on the Kedarnath trek route while travelling. For this, an announcement system and alert lights will be installed at various places on the route so that sufficient precautionary measures can be opted before any disaster.
Garhwal commissioner held a meeting on Wednesday
To monitor the restoration work in Kedarnath valley, Garhwal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey and secretary disaster management Vinod Kumar Suman reached Kedar valley on Wednesday and held a meeting. They also conducted a field inspection of the landslide affected area and reconstruction work being done between Sonprayag to Gaurikund. On the report of Rudraprayag district magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar, Garhwal commissioner instructed to install masks and halogen lights in the landslide affected area.
Pilgrims to cross danger zones wearing helmets
In view of frequent rain-induced landslides on Kedarnath yatra route, the safety measures will be strengthened. In this monsoon season, many landslide zones have developed on the Kedarnath route. Therefore, pilgrims will now be allowed to cross the landslide danger zones wearing helmets amid heavy rains. At such places, announcement systems and alert lights will also be used to alert pilgrims to take necessary steps.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami released Rs 30 crore for Kedar Valley
During this meeting, state secretary disaster management, Vinod Kumar Suman informed that to ensure smooth and safe pilgrimage of Kedarnath, state CM has been holding continuous review meetings. So far, the Chief Minister has sanctioned about Rs. 30 crores for reconstruction and restoration work. The CM also directed the NHAI and District Disaster Management Authority to speed up the restoration of damaged roads and trek routes.
All possible efforts are being made by the district administration
According to Rudraprayag district magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar, “All possible efforts are being made by the district administration to make the Kedarnath pilgrimage smooth and safe. Now, pilgrims will be made to travel wearing safety helmets in danger zones developed in Sonprayag, Jungle Chatti, Rambada, Bhimbali on the pilgrimage route. Colonel Ajay Kothiyal, appointed by the CM Dhami for monitoring and suggestions of restoration works on the pilgrimage route, suggested that the help of the army should be taken in the construction of the proposed new bridge in the Kund. Moreover, it is necessary to widen the pilgrimage route by four meters at present so that there is no jam-like situation on the route in case of heavy influx of pilgrims.
