Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday held a meeting at the secretariat regarding the preparations for the Chardham Yatra and said that disaster management control room will be set up and a Border Roads Organisation team has been deployed in subsidence-hit Joshimath to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage to Badrinath.
In the meeting, CM Dhami directed the concerned departments to check if cracks or any other problems occur on the roads in Joshimath.
"A team of BRO will regularly stay in Joshimath to solve cracks or any other problems that occur on the roads as soon as possible. Along with this, a control room for disaster management will also be set up in Joshimath", he said.
"In order to increase the livelihood of artisans, devotees are being encouraged to buy local products and temples located near the Char Dham Yatra routes are being widely publicised. We are working with full commitment to conduct well organized Char Dham Yatra," Dhami added.
The Chief Minister said, "The Public Works Department had been instructed to make the roads of the Public Works Department 100 per cent pothole-free, but still complaints of potholes are being received at many places".
"The Principal Secretary Public Works Department will review every week with the District Magistrates and officials of the Public Works Department to make the roads pothole free and improve the roads. This review will be continued until the reports of 100 per cent pothole-free and improvement of Public Works Department roads are not received from the District Magistrates, "Dhami directed.
Highlighting the security of the devotees, CM said, "The Char Dhams of Uttarakhand are major centres of religious faith for the devotees. It is the responsibility of all of us that the journey of all the devotees should be safe and smooth".
"All the concerned departments should pay special attention to what better facilities can be provided to the devotees this time while diagnosing those shortcomings which were left in last year's Chardham Yatra", he added.
Instructing the officials, CM said, "Proper arrangements should be made for the parking of vehicles on the Char Dham Yatra routes. Arrangements should also be made for the drivers to rest at the parking lots. Special care should be taken of cleanliness in Chardham Yatra. Complete arrangements should be made for cleanliness in the pedestrian routes as well".
"It should be ensured that there is proper arrangement of drinking water and toilets at all petrol pumps. Complete arrangements should be made for signage and crash barriers on the travel routes as per the requirement," he added.
The Chief Minister said, "Full arrangements will be made for the expenses for better arrangements for the Chardham Yatra, but no compromise will be made with the quality of the works. Fitness tests of vehicles and other necessary arrangements for the Chardham Yatra should be completed on time. Health, drinking water, toilets and other necessary arrangements should be kept smooth on Chardham Yatra routes. Along with the arrangement of hot water for horses and mules on the walking routes of Chardham Yatra, complete arrangements should be made for the team of doctors from the Animal Husbandry Department".
The Chief Minister also directed the officials to visit the ground before the commencement of the yatra for better operation.
"For a better operation of the Chardham Yatra, before the commencement of the yatra, the officials should go to the ground and regularly monitor the works. The temples and religious places around the Char Dham Yatra routes should also be widely publicized so that the devotees can visit these religious places along with the Char Dham Yatra," said Dhami.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon the devotees to spend 05 per cent of their travel expenses on buying local products, which will promote local products. For this, efforts should be made in this direction so that local products can be promoted in Chardham. Millet-based products should also be promoted during the Chardham Yatra," CM added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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