Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 17: Governor N.N. Vohra, who is Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, today visited Katra and Shrine area and reviewed the Board’s various ongoing projects for upgrading facilities for pilgrims.
The Governor was accompanied by H.L. Maini, Member and Technical Consultant of the Shrine Board; A.K. Sahu, Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Piyush Singla and Dr. M. K. Kumar, Additional CEOs, SMVDSB and other concerned officers and engineers of the Board.
From Katra, the Governor travelled on the Tarakote Track, the new 7.4 km long pedestrian track which has been under construction for the past over 4 years and took stock of the wayside facilities which include a Dispensary, Bhojanalayas, Viewpoints, drinking water points, toilet units etc, all of which are in the final stages of completion.
The Governor directed the CEO to complete all the remaining works by ending September and also, side by side, take up the installation of aesthetically designed shelter sheds to protect the pilgrims from sun and rain on identified sectors of the track. As the erection of metal mesh along the track has been already completed, Governor directed urgent work being done to plant soil binding flowering plants all along the track to enhance the ambience for the pilgrims.
The Governor instructed the CEO to ensure that only treated water was provided at all the water points on the track. Regarding solid waste management, the Governor directed CEO to propose the establishment of a committee of scientific experts to enable the Board to adopt the latest technologies for solid waste management and ensure the best possible cleanliness on all the tracks.
The Governor also inspected the work on the Rs 77 crore THDCIL Project, which is being executed in phases, to protect, treat and stabilise 33 sites on the Trikuta Mountains which have been identified as potentially the most vulnerable from the point of view of landslides and stones falling on the tracks.
This phased project is being executed as a long term measure to ensure against falling stones and landslides on the tracks, which have been causing injuries and deaths of pilgrims in the past years, and to enhance the safety and security of the pilgrims. In the first phase, 5 of the most vulnerable sites between Katra and the Shrine have been taken up, the work on which is nearing completion at Adhkuwari and Himkoti Yatra Marg.
In the Bhawan area, the Governor inspected the site of Durga Bhawan, which has been dismantled to construct new facilities for the pilgrims, and directed urgent finalization of Master Plan to decide the new structures which should come up at the site and, meanwhile, most urgent action should be taken to repair the entire damaged area. He also viewed the ongoing work for the stabilization of the damaged stretch of the track and stressed its speedy completion.
During review of the Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway and Siar Dabri-Bhawan Material Ropeway projects, the Governor directed their completion within the envisaged timelines.
Earlier, on arrival at Katra, Governor was received by A. K. Sahu, CEO, Dr. M. K. Kumar, Additional CEO; Ravinder Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi; Sujit Kumar, SSP Reasi; Sumir Kotwal, Additional SP, Katra; and other concerned officers and engineers of the Shrine Board. Pankaj Gupta, Deputy CEO and Jagdish Singh, SDM Bhawan were among those present during visit of the Governor to Bhawan area.
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