Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand (file photo)
The Uttarakhand government will present its master plan worth Rs 424 crore for the beautification of Badrinath and expansion of facilities for devotees around the Himalayan temple to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Wednesday, official sources said. The master plan for the beautification of Badrinath was prepared on the lines of Kedarpuri reconstruction at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is personally monitoring the progress of the projects already under implementation at Kedarnath.
Uttarakhand Tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar will make a presentation at the PMO on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Secretary Om Prakash, official sources said. Development works around the famous temple are to be carried out in three phases, said Chamoli District Magistrate Swati S Bhadouriya who recently gave final touches to the master plan.
The beautification of the Shesh Netra and Badrish lakes near the temple is to be taken up in the first phase. The temple and areas close to it will be done in the second and a path connecting the temple directly with the Shesh Netra lake will be built in the third phase, Ms Bhadouriya said.
Proposed works under the plan also include beautification of the ponds around the temple, expansion and widening of roads leading to the shrine, developing Badrish Van and construction of a parking facility near it, besides the riverfront development in a phased manner, she said.
The master plan on Badrinath has already been presented before Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat who has approved it. Officials believe that the work on the beautification of Badrinath could start before November this year if the Prime Minister okays the master plan as it is.