Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) will protect, treat and stabilize 33 sites on Trikuta Hills, which have been identified as most vulnerable landslide and stone falling areas on Katra-Mata Vaishno Devi ji track. The project, which has been undertaken keeping in view safety of the pilgrims, is being undertaken at the cost of Rs 77 crores and has been named as ‘Slope Stabilization Project’.
This was decided during 58th meeting of the Board in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra, who happens to be Chairman of the Board.
“The Slope Stabilization Project is being executed with technical support of Tehri Hydro Development Corporation of India Limited to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims from falling stones and landslides from the Trikuta Hills, which sometimes cause injuries, or even deaths, of the pilgrims, an official handout issued after the board meeting said.
The Board approved commencement of Phase-II of the project, which will involve slope stabilization measures such as installation of Rockfall Barriers, High Tensile Steel Wire Mesh and Shotcrete Consolidation Grouting at an estimated cost of Rs 16.50 crore.
The Board announced that Rs 60 crores worth Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati passenger ropeway and Rs 12 crore worth Siar-Dabri Bhawan material ropeway projects would be commissioned early next month. Both are prestigious projects of the Shrine Board.
By the time the two ropeway projects are commissioned, the Shrine Board would create necessary infrastructure facilities at Siar Dabri, Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati.
The Governor directed that the Board officials must ensure while creating infrastructure that load on the hills, particularly on Bhairon Ghati was minimum so that ecology of the area was not disturbed.
Dr E Sreedharan, Dr S S Bloeria, Sudha Murty, Dr. Ashok Bhan, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, H L Maini, Justice (Retd) Permod Kohli and Maj. Gen. (Retd) Shiv Kumar Sharma, all Board Members, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Piyush Singla and Dr M K Kumar, Additional CEOs of the Shrine Board attended the meeting. B B Vyas, Member of Governing Body and Chairman Finance and Audit Committee of the Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, participated in the discussions as a special invitee.
Presentations were made to the Board by experts of two national institutions regarding the approaches which may be followed for preparing a comprehensive Master Plan for the entire Shrine area from Ban Ganga to Bhawan and along all the tracks.
Pointing to certain difficulties in regard to traffic flows which had arisen due to lack of a holistic approach in the past years, the Governor stressed the crucial need for preparing a 40-50 year Master Plan for the entire Shrine area so that an adequately long-term perspective determines the scale and capacity of the infrastructural facilities which need to be provided for the pilgrims. He observed that a well planned approach in dealing with all aspects of the Yatra has also become extremely important to preserve the environment and ensure against any kind of pollution.
The Board had an extensive discussion with the team of experts of the School of Planning and Architecture regarding the areas requiring particular attention in the preparation of the Master Plan for the entire Shrine area. The Board directed the CEO to take all required action to ensure collection of garbage and prepare a well considered plan for management of solid and liquid wastes, with particular regard to utilization of green technologies to the maximum extent possible.
While reviewing the functioning of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super speciality Hospital, Kakryal, the Board called upon Dr Bloeria, Chairman Governing Body of the Hospital to take the required steps for the very early expansion and upgrading of the treatment facilities at this Super speciality Hospital to ensure best possible patient care, particularly the early appointment of eminent Physicians and Surgeons to fill all existing vacancies.
The CEO informed that the Shrine Board had, since April 8 borne an expenditure of about Rs 1 crore on providing free and subsidised treatment at the Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, to the various categories of entitled beneficiaries who include pilgrims; residents of Sira, Kotla, Kakryal and Sool villages; land owners whose land was acquired for the establishment of Superspeciality Hospital and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University; employees of the Shrine Board and their dependents; and the students of the Gurukul and College of Nursing.
The Board also took several decisions regarding welfare of the Board’s employees which included enhancing the retirement age from 58 years to 60 years and increasing of maternity leave for its female employees from 90 days to 180 days.
Before the commencement of discussions, the CEO gave a detailed presentation on the status of varied activities of the Shrine Board and the action taken on the implementation of various decisions of the previous meetings of the Board.
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