By Our Staff Reporter
Uttarkashi, 15 May: Secretary to the Chief Minister R Meenakshi Sundaram, who has been asked to camp in Uttarkashi to monitor Char Dham Yatra arrangements today held a review meeting in respect of the Yatra arrangements for Yamunotri and Gangotri Dhams. During the meeting, Sundaram directed the police-administration to deal strictly with those travelling to Dhams without registration and send them back directly from the checking barriers. For this, strict checking should be done at barriers and other places. He also issued instructions to effectively ban the operation of Dandi-Kandi, horses-mules without registration in Yamunotri Dham.
Sundaram and Director General Information Banshidhar Tiwari reached Uttarkashi today in view of the reports of traffic jams and some alleged mismanagement of the Yatra ue to the arrival of record number of pilgrims in Yamunotri and Gangotri Dhams. While holding a meeting with district officials in the conference room of ITBP Matali here, the Secretary conceded that due to the arrival of record number of passengers, the traffic jams and pressure on the Yatra travel routes is increasing. He clearly said that no one should be allowed to enter the Dham without registration. For this, after strict checking at the barrier, such passengers and vehicles should be sent back directly. He also directed them not to allow pilgrims to travel before scheduled date of travel as per the registration or even after the date of travel as per the registration.
He said that the phone numbers of Travel Control Room, Disaster Management Control Room and Police Control Room should be publicised as much as possible. He directed the officials to arrange for additional parking spaces along the Yatra routes. He added that at places where the road is narrow, 42 seater and bigger buses should be stopped first. So that jam situation does not arise. In the meeting,
District Magistrate Dr Meharban Singh Bisht said that more than 10 thousand pilgrims are reaching Yamunotri Dham every day. Similarly, more than 12 thousand pilgrims are coming to Gangotri Dham. More pilgrims are coming to both the Dhams than the holding capacity of the Dhams. The District Magistrate suggested that if the number of passengers is determined according to the carrying capacity of Yamunotri and Gangotri and the condition of the roads, then the situation will become normal. This will neither cause jam nor cause problems in other systems.
The District Magistrate shared information about the arrangements for food, water and medical camps by the administration for the convenience of the pilgrims. Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi, ADM Raza Abbas, SDM Dunda Nawazish Khaliq, CMO Dr BS Rawat, District Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal along with BRO Commander Vivek Srivastava were also present in the meeting.
After the meeting, Secretary Sundaram along with District Magistrate Dr Meharban Singh Bisht, Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi and Chief Development Officer Jaikishan went to Harsil, Dharali, Bhairavghati and Gangotri Dham to see the Yatra arrangements. He also interacted with the pilgrims and took feedback of the yatra and also met the officials of Panch Gangotri Temple Committee.