CEO reviews Amarnathji Yatra track clearance works
‘Mobilize additional manpower to clear backlog work caused due to continuous bad weather’
– Srinagar,May 27 (Scoop News) – In view of the intermittently bad weather during last month and frequent rains and snowfall during last few days, the Governor and Chairman, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, N. N. Vohra, last evening directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Board to personally visit Baltal and Pahalgam and take stock of the situation and snow clearance work.
Accordingly, the CEO, Navin K. Choudhary, accompanied by the Additional CEO, P. P. Singh, GM Works, K. G. Bamba and other engineering staff and contractors today visited Baltal and took stock of the situation. The CEO and other senior officers also inspected the track beyond Domel upto one kilometer. It was observed that not only continuous bad weather has hampered the snow clearance work on the track but also has delayed repair of other infrastructure like restoration of power, water supply, repair of huts, etc. The CEO said that the work has been hampered as the labor has not been able to move and work continuously in rainy conditions at the high altitude area.
Notwithstanding the weather related problems, the CEO directed all the engineering staff and contractors to mobilize additional manpower to the extent possible to complete the backlog work and put all infrastructures in time for the commencement of the Yatra on schedule.
The CEO also went around other facilities at Baltal Base Camp and expressed satisfaction over the restoration of the Helipad and other structures which had received massive damages due to snow avalanches during last winter. He also inspected ongoing repairs of the huts and toilet blocks in the Camp. It was also informed that supply of new pre-fabricated toilet blocks has commenced and 235 such toilets have already been received at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps. It is pertinent to mention here that Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board will replace and install 750 new additional toilets in the Camps along the Yatra route this year. The CEO also inspected the improvement of Ranga Morh-Baltal Base Camp road as well as alternate road from Neelgrath to the Baltal Base Camp.
As directed by the Governor, the CEO will visit Nunwan and Chandanwari Camps on 29th May to take stock of the situation and progress made regarding Yatra related arrangements. It is also to mention here that the Governor along with the CEO is scheduled to undertake another aerial survey of both the Yatra routes on 2nd June and, if possible will try to land at some of the Camp locations inside the Yatra route in addition to Nunwan and Baltal.