Preparations on for Kedarnath shrine

Dehradun, Feb 18 (IANS) The Uttarakhand government has constituted a 40-member team of officials to inspect and review the condition of roads in the state ahead of the annual Char Dham Yatra, officials said Wednesday.

Work for the annual pilgrimage which brings lakhs of people to the hill state began after the Hindu seers and priests Tuesday consulted the almanac and decided the dates when Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham would be reopened for darshan.

Officials told IANS that the Kedarnath Dham would open April 24 at 10.30 a.m., while the Badrinath Dham will after a six month long break at 4.45 a.m. April 26. The date for opening of the Kedarnath shrine was decided at the Onkareshwar temple in Ukhimath on Maha Shivratri.

Government officials said work on several roads and highways damaged during the flash floods of 2013 was underway and is likely to be completed before the Yatra begins.

"All efforts are being made to ensure that more and more devotees come for the Char Dham Yatra which comprises of Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath," a tourism department official added.

The annual pilgrimage was very popular among Hindu devotees from all over the country up to 2013 when flash floods hit the state and thousands of people were killed in the natural disaster, leading to a sudden dip in footfalls.

The Harish Rawat-led Congress government in the hill state has been trying to salvage the lost glory of the pilgrimage, which also was a big ticket revenue generator.

But the infrastructure at many places still continues to be in shambles and last year's heavy rains have also deterred people from travelling to the hill state.