This year`s char dham yatra not worth its name: BJP
Uttarakhand BJP questioned the rationale of the "haste" showed by the state government in starting the `char dham` yatra when roads damaged in the last year`s flash floods were "not repaired".
|Last Updated: Aug 21, 2014, 04:53 PM IST|Source: PTI
Dehradun: Uttarakhand BJP on Thursday questioned the rationale of the "haste" showed by the state government in starting the `char dham` yatra when roads damaged in the last year`s flash floods were "not repaired".
BJP MP from Pauri and former state chief minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri accused Harish Rawat government of failing to conduct the yatra.
"This year`s yatra was not worth its name. Frequent suspensions, negligible number of people visiting the shrines don`t qualify it to be called a yatra.”
"100-150 buses used to go to the Himalayan shrines on daily basis, this year the number has come down to 10-15 buses a day. Is this how the yatra is conducted?" Khanduri asked.
He claimed that the yatra route is still not repaired.
"What was the hurry to restart the yatra when the roads had not been fully repaired. There is no road to Kedarnath after Sonprayag even a year after the calamity, the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway is also blocked almost on a daily basis at Lambagad.”
"Half-a-dozen or a dozen pilgrims at the most are allowed to visit the shrines when the weather clears up. In my assessment the state government has totally failed to conduct the yatra," he said.
He also attributed the poor condition of roads to PWD repairing quite a few of them.
"Repairing roads in high altitude areas is not the PWD`s cup of tea. It doesn`t have the resources, the training and the work culture to build and repair roads in difficult hilly terrain.”
"I always wanted the then UPA government at the Centre to provide funds to the BRO and entrust it exclusively with the task of reconstructing the damaged roads in the hills," he said.
The former chief minister regretted if his advice was heeded the condition of roads in the `char dham` area would have been far better.
If conditions like these persist, the yatra next year will also be a failure, he warned.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.