Work on Badrinath master plan resumes
BEAUTIFICATION OF THE BADRINATH SHRINE AREA WILL BE TAKEN UP AFTER COMPLETION OF THE FIRST PHASE, SAID OFFICIALS
Work on the Badrinath master plan, which was stalled during the winters due to heavy snowfall in February, has been restarted with over 200 labourers reaching the holy town of Badrinath, the public works department (PWD) officials on Thursday.
PWD project implementation unit (PIU) executive engineer VK Saini said, “The work on the Badrinath master plan had to be stopped due to chilly conditions induced by heavy snowfall witnessed in the winter months in the Badrinath Dham area. Now, with the snow clearing around the shrine over 200 labourers have returned and started the work under the first phase.”
He further said, “Currently the demolition of the buildings, which were acquired for the master plan under the first phase, is going on. After this, the work on the riverfront will begin and we expect that the work is likely to be finished by this year end.”
The work of Arrival Plaza, Loop Road is being taken up after the winter break and the beautification of the Badrinath shrine area will be taken up after completion of the first phase, the PWD officials added.
In June 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the state government to frame a master plan for the Badrinath Dham, keeping in mind the next 100 years.
He had given instructions that special emphasis should be laid on maintaining religious and spiritual legacy of the Badrinath shrine in the implementation of the master plan.
Modi had said a mini smart spiritual city should be developed in the area. Other main instructions included homestay facilities, the shrine to be linked with the other religious spots in nearby areas, and special lighting arrangements to be made at the entrance of the Badrinath shrine which should be according to the spiritual milieu of the place.
Later in the same year, the state government had presented a master plan for the development of the Badrinath shrine area before Modi through videoconferencing. According to state government officials, during the meeting, Modi had told officials here to focus of the master plan should not be based on tourism but on the spiritual legacy of the Himalayan shrine.