Char Dham Yatra: Uttarakhand reviews preparations, prioritizes traffic, water and forest fire safety

A review meeting addressing the preparations for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, forest fire prevention, drinking water availability, road improvements, CM helpline services, and other developmental schemes was held on Tuesday at the Vikas Bhawan auditorium in Pauri.

The meeting was chaired by Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, who instructed all divisional departments to complete their preparations by April 25 to ensure the smooth conduct of the Yatra.

Following the meeting, the commissioner personally assessed the quality of ongoing tarring and patchwork on the state highways. Emphasizing the strategic significance of Srinagar during the Yatra, he noted that managing traffic and parking remains a challenge. “Srinagar is an important stop in view of the Char Dham Yatra, where proper arrangement of traffic as well as parking is challenging,” he said. He directed the district administration to identify Dharamshalas and night shelters in the area that could offer free relief to stranded or helpless travelers.

The commissioner also emphasized the need to maintain functional water points and clean public toilets along the Yatra route. Praising the district administration for their proactive approach, he added, “I appreciate the proactive preparations of the district administration regarding the preparations of Chardham Yatra.”

Commissioner Pandey instructed the Garhwal District Magistrate to conduct a survey on the condition of rural motor roads and submit a detailed report. While reviewing roadworks, he inspected the quality of asphalting on the Pauri-Devprayag stretch of State Highway-31 and the patchwork near Dwaridhar Gaushala. He asked Public Works Department (PWD) officials to expedite the completion of remaining asphalting work.

On the issue of forest fires, the commissioner underscored the importance of coordination among departments and active public involvement. He lauded the district-level efforts and innovative measures being implemented, including public awareness campaigns and the successful rollout of the Sheetalakhet model in over 30 villages.

To address drinking water shortages during the summer, Pandey instructed Jal Sansthan and Jal Nigam officials to extend pumping hours and arrange for water supply through tankers where necessary. “To ensure the availability of drinking water to every villager in summer, increase the time period of pumping and ensure alternative arrangements for water supply through tankers if required,” he stated.

Inspector General of Garhwal Rajiv Swaroop also emphasized the need for a dry run of parking and traffic arrangements in Srinagar before the start of the pilgrimage season. “Special emphasis needs to be given on accommodation, traffic and parking arrangements at a place like Srinagar to deal with any situation during the Yatra season,” he said.