SMVDSB undertakes project to check landslides

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has undertaken a project to check landslides at 33 sites on the Trikuta Mountains, enroute to the holy cave shrine to prevent the loss of human lives.
Around one crore pilgrims visit the cave shrine located on the Trikuta mountains in Katra town of Reasi district, every year.
The Rs 77 crore project is being executed in a phased manner by the M/s Geobrugg AG of Switzerland and M/s Pioneer Foundation Engineers of India under the supervision of THDCIL, a joint venture of the government of India and Uttar Pradesh (UP) government.
"The project is being executed in phased manner, to protect, treat and stabilise 33 sites which have been identified as potentially the most vulnerable from the point of view of landslides and stones falling on the tracks," said A K Sahu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SMVDSB during a review meeting chaired by Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra who is also the chairman of the SMVDSB.

Sahu said falling stones and landslides on the tracks have been causing injuries to even resulting in deaths.
In the first phase, five of the most vulnerable sites between Katra and the cave shrine have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 18 crore, the work on which is nearing completion at Adhkuwari and Himkoti Yatra Marg.
"The first phase of the project, for which M/s THDCIL have provided consultancy is being executed by a consortium of M/s Geobrugg AG of Switzerland and M/s Pioneer Foundation Engineers of India," Sahu said.
Sahu said that on the recommendations of THDCIL, IIT Kanpur had carried out the work of Topography Survey and IIT Roorkee had done the Geological Mapping and Slope Stability Studies of the Trikuta mountains.