Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Friday asked officials to ensure completion of work on a 22 km alternative road between Gaurikund and Kedarnath before the commencement of char dham yatra on May 5.
The announcement was made by Rawat at a high-level meeting with officials to review preparations for approaching yatra season, which begins in April-May annually, an official release here said.
Completing construction of the 22-km stretch between Gaurikund and Kedarnath is a challenge which has to be addressed on a priority basis so that everything is in place by the time the yatra begins on May 5 with the opening of the doors of Badrinath, the release quoting the Chief Minister as saying.
Areas close to Kedarnath bore the brunt of the June calamity last year with many roads and bridges washed away in the flashfloods including a 14-km trek route to the famed temple.
He said efficient officers should be deployed in the area to speed up work on the road project which is safe and convenient for pilgrims.
The portals of the high-altitude char dhams are closed every year during winter due to snowbound conditions and reopened in April-May.
Expressing concern over the law and order scenario in
Uttarakhand, Rawat asked the police to work towards the goal of instilling confidence in people and fear in anti-social elements.
Reviewing the law and order scenario of the state at a meeting with Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar, DGP B S Sidhu and Principal Secretary (Home) Om Prakash, Rawat said the final objective is to make Uttarakhand absolutely crime-free.
The increasing cases of human trafficking in the state will have to be controlled he said and asked the officials to constitute an SIT to curb illegal mining and finance related fraud.
He also asked the DGP to ensure that there is a dip in the crime rate in Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar districts and the businessmen must not be troubled by criminals.
The police system of the state should be so strong that anti-social elements think twice before entering the state, he said.
