PM reviews work on all weather roads, Kedarnath projects

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reviewed the progress of Uttarakhand’s all weather roads and Kedarnath reconstruction projects via video-conferencing and expressed satisfaction at the work done this month.

Launched by the prime minister at the time of the state assembly polls earlier this year, the ambitious all weather roads project would smoothen the annual pilgrimage to the four famous Himalayan shrines. The Kedarnath reconstruction project, whose foundation stone was also laid by Modi, was aimed at boosting facilities for Chardham pilgrims.

He expressed satisfaction at the work done by the state government on the two projects this month but said that he would himself monitor through drones the work being done at Kedarnath, an official statement said.

Briefing Modi about the progress on the roads project, Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said work for 340 km out of 395 km, sanctioned by the Centre, were awarded to executing agencies and the land for two-laning work would be awarded by the first week of January.

Compensation worth Rs 145 crore out of a total of Rs 190 crore had already been paid to 10,000 farmers whereas clearance has been obtained for 250 hectares of forest land, it said. He said work on the project was being done with a definite time-frame in mind. On Kedarnath project, Singh said work was progressing fast on the construction of flood protection walls around Saraswati river and would begin soon on Mandakini.

The prime minister said reconstruction of a grand Kedarpuri, a township around the ancient shrine, was his priority and he would constantly monitor the progress of the project via drones, the statement said.