By Arun Pratap Singh
Rudraprayag, 26 Aug: If was after the Kedarnath disaster of 2013 that Col Ajay Kothiyal, who was then Principal of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, had played a very significant role in the reconstruction of Kedarnath routes and the Dham. His role was then highly appreciated by one and all irrespective of the political spectrum. After that, Col Kothiyal had joined active politics as Aam Aadmi Party’s CM candidate in the 2022 assembly elections. However, AAP had failed to win even a single assembly seat in the state and after quietly quitting AAP, Col Kothiyal joined the BJP sometime before the Parliamentary elections.
Given his positive image of an effective task master, the Dhami Government has now entrusted him the responsibility of monitoring the repair and reconstruction work related to Kedarnath Highway which is badly damaged in several locations.
Though the construction work is being done at a fast pace on the Kedarnath Yatra route but the government is facing the challenge to manage the second phase of the Yatra which begins after the Monsoon from first week of September and will continue almost till the first week of November. Lakhs of devotees reach Kedarnath Dham for the Yatra even during the second phase as many pilgrims remain hesitant to visit the state during the monsoon period in view of possible disasters.
After the disaster on the night of 31 July, the condition of the Kedarnath Highway along with the pedestrian route is very bad, the work of rebuilding it is going on at war footing. The government and administration are trying to improve the Yatra route before 7 September, so that the movement of dandi-kandi, horse-mule and vehicles can be managed smoothly during the second phase of the Yatra.
In this regard, to ensure timely completion of the repair and reconstruction work, Col Ajay Kothiyal (Retd), has been requested to monitor the repair work. After inspecting the Kedarnath’s pedestrian route and the Sonprayag-Gaurikund Highway, Kothiyal reminded that on the night of 31 July, nature’s fury was seen at various places from Lincholi to Sonprayag on the Kedarnath trek route. He admitted that, after the disaster, the bodies of several persons have been recovered from the debris. The SDRF personnel are busy in searching for other missing people.
Ajay Kothiyal shared that the police, DDRF and SDRF personnel had worked hard in dealing with the Kedarnath disaster in the year 2013 and even after the current disaster, these personnel are working with full dedication in the construction work being done on the Kedarnath footpath and the highway. Along with this, efforts are being made to repair the Kedarnath trek and the highway at a fast pace. The trek route is being widened to a width of six metres at all the places where the repairs are being carried out so that the passengers, horses, mules, dandi-kandi labourers can pass each other comfortably.
Kothiyal said that the livelihood of the pilgrim priests, horses, mules, hotels-shops, taxi vehicles, tent colony, contractors engaged in construction work, labourers, etc., has been highly affected adversely in the aftermath of the disaster. In such a situation, the state government and the district administration are working rapidly to conduct the yatra in a systematic manner again. The road from Rambara to Kedarnath is highly damaged at a few places and soon the repairs will be completed there. He added that there is major damage to the road at least in three places between Gaurikund and Rambara. The repair work is being carried out properly.
Kothiyal added that CM Dhami is monitoring the reconstruction work. The state government is trying to conduct the Kedarnath Yatra in a better way from September till November, so that the those associated with the yatra do not face livelihood challenges.
Kothiyal said that from the Kedarnath footpath to the highway, the workers are engaged in construction work, day and night. Rains remain a challenge as in case of heavy rain, the risk and danger of debris falling from the hill increases. However, the workers engaged in the repair work are working with a lot of courage. Along with them, SDRF, DDRF and police personnel are also keeping an eye on the hill all the time for their safety.
