PM Modi will review progress of development works along Mandakini Asthapath. (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttarakhand on October 21 during which he will perform 'puja' at Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, as well as lay the foundation stone of connectivity projects worth more than Rs 3,400 crore.
At around 8:30 AM, PM Modi will perform 'darshan' and 'puja' at Kedarnath Temple and around 9 AM, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone of the Kedarnath Ropeway Project, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
He will visit the Adi Guru Shankaracharya Samadhi Sthal and also review the progress of development works along Mandakini Asthapath and Saraswati Asthapath.
Thereafter, Prime Minister Modi will reach Badrinath where, at around 11:30 AM, he will perform 'darshan' and 'puja' at Badrinath temple, it said.
He will also review the progress of development work of the river front, followed by laying the foundation stone of road and ropeway projects at Mana village. Thereafter, at around 2 PM, he will review the progress of development work of arrival plaza and lakes, the statement said.
The ropeway in Kedarnath will be around 9.7 km long and will connect Gaurikund to Kedarnath, reducing the travel time between the two places from six-seven hours at present to only about 30 minutes.
The Hemkund ropeway will connect Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib. It will be around 12.4 Km long and will reduce travel time from more than a day to only about 45 minutes. This ropeway will also connect Ghangaria, which is the gateway to Valley of Flowers National Park.
The ropeways, which will be developed at a cumulative cost of around Rs 2,430 crore, are an environmental-friendly mode of transport that will provide safe, secure and stable mode of transport, the statement said.
This major infrastructure development will give a boost to religious tourism, which will give a fillip to the economic development in the region and lead to creation of multiple employment opportunities, it said.
Foundation stone of road widening projects worth around Rs 1,000 crore will also be laid during the prime minister's visit, the statement said.
The two road widening projects - from Mana to Mana Pass (NH07) and from Joshimath to Malari (NH107B) - shall be another step towards providing last mile all weather road connectivity to our border areas, it said.
Apart from boosting connectivity, these projects will also prove beneficial from a strategic point of view as well, it said.
Kedarnath and Badrinath are one of the most important Hindu shrines. The area is also known for one of the revered Sikh Pilgrim site - Hemkund Sahib. The connectivity projects being undertaken shows the prime minister's commitment to ease access and improve basic infrastructure in places of religious significance, the statement said.
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