Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to the Kedarnath Temple. (Photo: Virender Singh Negi/File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Kedarnath shrine on Wednesday, on the day of Diwali, to review work on the reconstruction projects and offer prayers at the temple.

During his visit to Kedarnath on October 20 last year, Modi had laid the foundation stone of five reconstruction projects at Kedarpuri area, which encompasses the Kedarnath shrine.

On Wednesday, Modi will review the five projects — widening of the approach road to Kedarnath, construction of ghats and retaining walls on rivers Mandakini and Saraswati, construction of houses for the teerth purohits (priests), and construction of a grand ‘samadhi sthal’ of Adi Sankara.

Rudraprayag district magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal said, “The work of widening the approach road to the shrine and construction of retaining walls along the Mandakini are complete. The remaining works will be completed by April next year.”

Modi is scheduled to reach Kedarnath by 10 am and stay for an hour-and-a half. “The Prime Minister will offer prayers at the shrine and review the reconstruction projects. He will not address the public (from the temple premises),” Ghildiyal said.