Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday conducted a review of the Kedarnath Dham development and reconstruction project with the Uttarakhand government via video conferencing.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat and other senior officials also participated in the discussions.
Laying out his vision for the reconstruction of the shrine, the Prime Minister said that the state government should envision and design development projects for holy sites like Kedarnath and Badrinath in a way and manner that stands the test of time and is yet eco-friendly and in harmony with nature and its surroundings.
Keeping in mind the present situation and comparatively lean pressure in terms of tourists and pilgrims to the holy sites, Prime Minister Modi suggested that the present construction season could be utilized for completing pending works by proper distribution of labour pools, keeping in mind the norms of social distancing.
This, he said, will help to create facilities and infrastructure to better sustain tourism flows in the years to come.
As part of specific suggestions, Modi also gave directions for further development of other heritage and religious spots in the stretch extending from Ramban to Kedarnath.
This work will be in addition to the re-development of the main shrine in Kedarnath.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the meeting also saw detailed discussions on topics related to status of development of Brahma Kamal vatika (garden) and museum to greet pilgrims en-route to Vasuki Taal, re-development of old town quarters and properties of historical significance keeping in-tact their original architectural façade as well as other facilities like eco-friendly parking spaces at a proper distance from the shrine and at regular intervals.