Thursday, 02 MAY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand chief secretary Radha Raturi sent a letter to the chief secretaries of all the states to avoid VVIP Darshan in the first 15 days of the Char Dham Yatra. She has asked them to dissuade VVIPs in their respective states from arriving for VVIP Darshan, especially in Kedarnath to ensure common devotees do not have to face inconvenience during this period. This was informed by the Garhwal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey on Wednesday. He said that extensive preparations have been made by the State government for the Kedarnath Yatra this time. The facilities for the devotees have been enhanced in every aspect compared to the past years. There were only nine parking lots operational in Kedarnath last year but this time, 20 parking spaces are available with the capacity of 1,495 vehicles. Besides this, the administration has created an app to monitor vehicles for the first time. The government has deployed 700 sanitation workers this year against 617 workers last year. For the first time, eight new high-tech modular toilets and mobile modular toilets have also been installed on the Yatra route. Apart from this, a road sweeping machine will also be deployed for cleaning work. This year, the administration will monitor the operation of all the 4000 horses and mules on the Yatra route unlike last year. The administration has also built a waste treatment plant of 30 tonnes in capacity in Sonprayag and made upgraded arrangements for garbage dumping. Apart from this, a total of 15 water fountains will also be functional for 24 hours for horses and mules. The authorities have also arranged two dormitories for those travelling with horses and mules. These dormitories can accommodate 197 people, Pandey added.
