Dehradun: Uttarakhand Minister for Irrigation, Flood Control, Small Irrigation, Rain Water Harvesting, Water Management, Indo-Nepal relations, Uttarakhand River projects, Tourism, Pilgrimage, Religious Fairs and Culture Satpal Maharaj held a review meeting related to Chardham Yatra arrangement at Vidhan Sabha, here today. He assured that from now on ‘Chardham Yatra’ will be easy and safe. Along with all-weather road, the normal Yatra route will remain open. Besides, an alternative route too will remain open. This time, a travel route for pilgrims going on foot will also be opened.
He gave orders to keep hotels, Dhabas and restaurants clean for pilgrims and travelers. Pilgrims including general public too can use toilets of hotels/dhabas. Orders have also be given to put up rate list in hotels and dhabas, checking for which will be done from time to time.
Special attention will be given to fitness-checks of Buses, Taxis that will be operating on Yatra route. Attention will also be given to ensure that Buses and Taxis carry garbage-bags and GPS System. Training for Behavioral skills will also be given to drivers-conductors before issuing them Green Card.
Instructions were also given to ensure supply of clean water, on the travel route. Orders have been given to clean all the tanks through proper use of chemicals. Health Department was instructed that 108 ambulance will be checked by RTO. Special medical teams will also be deployed on Yatra route. Tele-medicine service will be provided in Nauganv and Agastmuni from Shrinagar Medical College.
He also ordered setting up of special mobile towers on Yatra route to provide internet connectivity to pilgrims and travellers. He has also written to the Union government to ensure provision of sufficient cash in the ATM machines that fall on the Yatra route. Digital payment will be promoted during Yatra. He asked that digital payment service be introduced for ‘Chardham Yatra Puja’. Mobile toilet service will also be provided on the Yatra route.
Among those present on the occasion were Commissioner Garhwal Dilip Jawalkar, DIG Pushpak Jyoti, Additional Secretaries H.C.Semwal, Jyoti Neeraj Khairwal and Arjun Singh, Additional Commissioner Transport Sunita Singh, Director general Health Archana Shrivastav, and senior officials from the departments of drinking water, electricity, road, and telecommunication.
