Nainital: In a major development for Uttarakhand, the state’s first rooftop helipad will soon be constructed at Kainchi Dham, a famous religious site. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 40 crore, aims to boost pilgrimage and tourism in the Kumaon region.
Along with the helipad, a three-storey parking facility, beautification lighting system, and Aastha Path Marg will also be developed at the site. The government has given verbal approval for the construction of the helipad, which will be located on the roof of the parking structure.
Due to lack of suitable place, helipad is being built on roof of parking building
The Tourism Department had initially started searching for a suitable location for the helipad at Kainchi Dham when the scheme was first launched. Due to the lack of a suitable place, the decision was made to build the helipad on the roof of the parking structure, making it the first rooftop helipad in the state.
Three-level parking facility at Kainchi Dham
The three-storey parking facility at Kainchi Dham will accommodate around 436 vehicles, providing much-needed relief from the daily traffic jams on the Almora-Bhowali main road outside the temple. The Public Works Department has been assigned the responsibility for the construction in all the temples.
A dream project of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami
This initiative is part of the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission, a dream project of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, which focuses on enhancing important religious places to promote pilgrimage and tourism in Kumaon. The temple will see improved arrangements for beautification, lighting, and a faith path, as well as the construction of a one-way road from the back side of the temple to better manage the crowd of devotees. The Tourism Department is moving swiftly to implement these improvements.
Construction work for all 16 temples is expected to cost about Rs 106 crore
A budget of approximately Rs 44 crore has been released in the first phase for the development of nine out of the 16 temples included in the mission for the year 2024, with ongoing construction in many of them. The second phase will focus on the beautification of the remaining temples. Temples like Jageshwar Dham, Baijnath, Naina Devi, Kainchi Dham, Patal Rudreshwar, Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Hatkalika Temple, Maa Barahi Devi, and Nanda Devi Temple have been included in the first phase. Overall, the construction work for all 16 temples is expected to cost about Rs 106 crore.
This comprehensive development plan is expected to significantly enhance the pilgrimage experience at Kainchi Dham and contribute to the overall promotion of tourism in the Kumaon region.
