By Our Staff Reporter
Chamoli, 8 Apr: Preparations are underway on a war footing to ensure a smooth and safe Char Dham Yatra 2025. On the directive of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Health Secretary, Irrigation Secretary, and Nodal Officer for Badrinath Dham, Dr R Rajesh Kumar, conducted an extensive inspection tour of Chamoli district here today. On this occasion, he reviewed health facilities, road conditions, parking areas, landslide-prone zones, and registration and screening centres along the travel route from Kameda to Badrinath, issuing necessary guidelines to officials. Accompanying him were ADM, Chamoli, Vivek Prakash, SDM, Chamoli, Rajkumar Pandey, Chief Medical Officer Dr Abhishek Gupta, and officials from NHAI, BRO, and other departments concerned.
Dr Kumar first conducted an inspection at the Registration Centre, Primary Health Centre, Mela Maidan, and Trauma Centre in Karnaprayag and Gauchar. He also assessed the availability of essential medicines, doctors, and paramedical staff, as well as cleanliness standards in hospitals. He instructed the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that life-saving medicines, medical equipment, and staff are available at all times across health centres. He further stated that dialysis machines will soon be provided in Chamoli district to enhance healthcare services. Additionally, he urged departments to promptly submit proposals for any required resources to ensure timely provisioning.
On this occasion, Kumar announced the establishment of 20 Medical Relief Posts (MRPs) and 50 screening centres to facilitate comprehensive health screening and first aid for the pilgrims. Currently, three MRPs and five screening points are operational in the district. Plans for five new MRPs and multiple additional screening centres are underway, focusing exclusively on health examinations and emergency care for travellers. He directed that the health advisory, prepared in 13 languages, be distributed across all MRPs and screening centres. This advisory is intended to inform the pilgrims about health hazards in high-altitude areas, potential illnesses such as COVID-19, and essential precautionary measures. Screening centres near major bus terminals will be prioritised to maximise outreach.
In preparation for the Yatra, Dr Kumar also conducted a field inspection of the Sirohbagad landslide zone in Rudraprayag and the Kameda landslide area in Chamoli. Observing the precarious state of roads and potential risks, he issued firm instructions that no negligence will be tolerated. He directed the immediate completion of asphalting works in Kameda within 20 days and instructed the officials to submit proposals for a permanent solution to the Sirohbagad sliding zone. He emphasised that disruptions in the Char Dham Yatra are unacceptable and mandated strict adherence to deadlines for all infrastructure projects, ensuring the safe and seamless movement of pilgrims.
The Nodal Officer for Badrinath also examined ongoing works in landslide-affected areas, directing implementing agencies to expedite completion. In the Parthadip zone of Nandprayag, debris clearance and temporary treatment works are being carried out rigorously, expected to be completed within 15 days. In Pagal Nala on NH-07, he gathered details about the landslide-prone zone and instructed authorities to develop a permanent mitigation plan for government approval. The BRO was instructed to fortify road foundations in Jogidhara and accelerate the necessary repairs.
Speaking on the occasion, he emphasised the equal focus on health services, road management, disaster response, registration systems, and environmental conservation. At the same time, he also cautioned departmental officers against any form of negligence, stating that inefficiencies could disrupt the pilgrimage, and instructed that all preparations be completed within stipulated timelines.
