By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 17 Dec: Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary, Tourism, Dilip Jawalkar, and the District Magistrate reviewed the ongoing reconstruction works at Kedarnath. On the occasion, Chief Secretary Singh instructed the DDMA to construct adequate number of toilets between Gaurikund and Kedarnath temple. He also found the number of workers inadequate for the safety works on Saraswati River given to the Jindal Group and found the pace of work slow. He ordered that, by the next inspection, the work would be well on track.
The Chief Secretary also ordered construction of a shed on the pathway of the irrigation department from the replica of the temple built near the western gate of the temple to the Mandakini River (Aastha Path) to protect pilgrims from rain, snow and hail, beginning of work on the 60 metre bridge over the Mandakini River to connect with Garudchatti, widening of a raised platform and other works. He wanted hastening of the pace of work on the Shankaracharya Samadhi so that it is built before the end of the yatra, progress on the 70 houses to be built for ‘Purohits’, and repair of safety works on River Mandakini by DDMA.
The Chief Secretary also instructed the DDMA to repair five government buildings, hand over nine houses to the disaster affected of central plaza so that ‘Teerth Purohits’ could be rehabilitated.
SDM, Ukimath, Gopal Singh, Irrigation Engineer Sunil Kumar, Praveen Karnwal from DDMA, Sandeep Gokhale of JSW Group, architect Nikul Shah, Anil and other officers were present.