Heavy snowfall halts reconstruction work at Kedarpuri

The reconstruction work at Uttarakhand's Kedarpuri has been suspended for the next 10 days due to heavy snowfall at the Himalayan shrine, a senior official said on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been closely monitoring the reconstruction work at the famed temple which was hit by flash floods in 2013.

Nearly 7-8 feet thick layer of snow has accumulated in the area following heavy snowfall at the Himalayan shrine over the past few days, making it impossible to continue the reconstruction work, Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal said.

Heavy snowfall in the area has also damaged some huts of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam, some electric poles and transformers in the area, affecting power supply to the shrine, he said.

"It has been decided to suspend all work there for at least 10 days," the DM said, adding it will be resumed after the specified period depending on the weather.

Thirty-five people engaged in the reconstruction work at the famed temple, including 28 labourers, have returned to Gaurikund due to the suspension of the work.

During his last visit to the shrine, Modi had spent about an hour there taking stock of the reconstruction work.

The reconstruction work at Kedarpuri is likely to be one of the BJP's main poll planks in 2019 because of its countrywide appeal.

The project includes reconstruction of Adi Guru Shankaracharya's samadhi which was washed away in the 2013 tragedy, the houses of teerth purohits, besides a number of other works.