PM reviews Kedarnath Dham reconstruction project

New Delhi/Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reviewed the Kedarnath Dham development and reconstruction project, and said such works should stand the test of time as well as be in harmony with nature.

Portions of the Himalayan shrine in Uttarakhand were damaged in flash floods in 2013.

Interacting with the state government’s top brass, including Chief

Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, via a video link, Modi asked it to speed up work on the project and assured there will be no dearth of funds.

The foundation stone of the reconstruction project at Kedarnath were laid in 2017 by the prime minister.

The prime minister also issued directions for “further development” of other heritage and religious spots in the stretch between Ramban and Kedarnath, according to an official statement.

The meditation caves being built near the temple should also be made attractive for devotees, Modi said.

This work will be in addition to the redevelopment of the main shrine in Kedarnath, the statement said.

The prime minister said the state government should “envision and design development projects for holy sites like Kedarnath and Badrinath (another prominent Himalayan shrine) in a way that (they) stand the test of time and is yet eco-friendly and in harmony with nature and its surroundings”, it said.

Modi has visited the shrine on at least three occasions after becoming prime minister for the first time in 2014.

Keeping in mind the present situation and comparatively lean pressure in terms of tourists and pilgrims to the holy sites, Modi suggested that the present construction season can be utilised for completing pending works by proper distribution of labour pools.

This will help create facilities and infrastructure to better sustain tourist flow in the years to come, he felt.

The prime minister stressed that social distancing norms issued to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus should be followed while completing the works.