Uttarakhand cabinet approves Kedarnath rehabilitation plan

Decides to develop new Kedarpuri to rehabilitate people affected by the devastating floods

The Uttarakhand cabinet has approved a reconstruction and rehabilitation plan for Kedarnath, the epicentre of the 2013 deluge, and decided to develop a new Kedarpuri to rehabilitate the people affected by the devastating floods.

A meeting of the state cabinet, which was held here on Tuesday and presided over by Chief Minister Harish Rawat, decided that the government would not allow any construction activities around the Kedarnath temple. An area measuring 90 m in length and 20 m in breadth between Kedarnath and the bridge over the Mandakini river would be kept free of all construction so that the historic eighth century shrine is visible from a distance without any obstruction.

A new Kedarpuri township would be built to rehabilitate the priests of the Kedarnath temple and other stakeholders who were affected by last year's floods. A thousand people who lost their homes in Gaurikund, Rambada, Garurchatti and Bhimbali during last year's deluge would be rehabilitated.

Although the government has not yet announced the master plan of the new Kedarpuri township, it said it would again be developed after holding talks with the priests of the Kedarnath shrine and other stakeholders.

A thick boundary wall would also be built to provide protection to the shrine. The work to remove debris around the temple would also begin in the last week of October. Bulldozers and other heavy equipment required for the rubble-removal exercise would be transported to the temple area by Mi-26 helicopters.

All the reconstruction and rehabilitation work at Kedarnath would be carried out according to the recommendations of the Geological Survey of India.

The cabinet also gave its nod to construct a ropeway and golf course and start a shuttle taxi service in the Himalayan area once the reconstruction and resettlement work is completed.

An authority under the chairmanship of the chief minister would be set up to oversee the reconstruction work around the temple, which bore the brunt of the natural calamity last year. The new authority would give the final touches to the drainage and sewerage systems, drinking water facilities, internal roads and residential quarters at the temple.