)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday announced the long-awaited rehabilitation and reconstruction plan for the flood-battered Kedarnath area with an aim to start a year-round Chardham yatra.
The government has devised a two-pronged strategy to restore the Kedarnath temple area. In the first phase, the government would construct protection walls behind the 800 year old Lord Shiva temple, re-channelizing Mandakini and Saraswati rivers and taking flood control measures at Kedarnath area. The restoration work of the Kedarnath shrine will only be done by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
In the second phase, the government would develop a new township at Lyncholi near Kedarnath and also a ropeway from Lyncholi to Kedarnath. All those buildings that have been declared unsafe at Kedarpuri will be demolished. The work for the stabilization of slopes will also begin.
“In the next four-five days, our reconstruction and rehabilitation plan for Kedarnath will begin for which we have finalized a roadmap,” said Rawat after visiting Kedarnath shrine yesterday.
The government would rope in experts of Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) to re-channelize Mandakini and Saraswati rivers as the both are right now flowing together near the shrine.
For this massive reconstruction and rehabilitation plan, the state government would seek an additional Rs 4,000 crore from the centre. This will be in addition to the Rs 7,500 crore package announced by the previous UPA government.
Two protection walls will also be built behind the 800-year-old shrine in order to shield it against any perceived threat of floods in near future. “These walls have to be built. We cannot take any further risk since the monsoon is coming near,” said Rawat.
Rawat said the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been asked to make a fresh survey of the Old Kedarpuri which suffered the brunt of the June flash floods. “We want to take an idea whether this Kedarpuri can be revived,” said Rawat.
A new township is being built at Lyncholi area near Kedarnath for the rehabilitation of priests, shopkeepers and businessmen who were affected by the floods. The forest department has been asked to prepare an alternate trek route from Guarikund to Kedarnath also.
The government is also mulling an idea to introduce electric cars at Kedarnath for pilgrims. These cars will cover a 3-4 km stretch between the ropeway and the shrine.
“We are also discussing a proposal for the year-round Chardham yatra. For this purpose we have started talks with stakeholders,” Rawat said.
