Kedarnath reconstruction projects being monitored through drones: Amit Shah

The Kedarnath reconstruction projects including the laying of all-weather roads leading to the shrine are being monitored through drones, thereby reducing the need of physical inspection, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.

Emphasising on the need to use technology for good governance, Shah while addressing the 14th annual convention of the Central Information Commission (CIC) here, said that the government has used technology in several initiatives like Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar, mobile and usage of Gem portal for purchasing.

"Through geo-tagging, using the images of satellites, we get to know whether the dam has been built or not, what is the situation of water in the dam and also irrigation monitoring through the usage of drones," the home minister, who was the chief guest at the event, said.

"Now, there has been work going on at Kedarnath... all-weather roads are being constructed, they are being monitored online. You would get surprised that we don't need to send inspector on the spot as all the monitoring work is being done online using drones. It is the successful usage of online monitoring," Shah said.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017, the ambitious all-weather roads project would smoothen the annual pilgrimage to the four famous Himalayan shrines.

The Kedarnath reconstruction project, whose foundation stone was also laid by Modi, was aimed at boosting facilities for Chardham pilgrims.

The four towns of the hilly state to be connected by all-weather roads are Yamnotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.