Uttarakhand News: The Uttarakhand government is continuously taking steps towards strengthening the basic facilities on the Chardham Yatra route. In this sequence, the plan for construction of a modern state guest house in Ratura area of Rudraprayag district has gained momentum. Under the announcement of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state government has included this proposed project in the priority works and officials have been instructed to speed up the process of its construction.
On Friday, Secretary State Property Department, Dr. R. Various aspects of the project were discussed in detail in the high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Rajesh Kumar. In the meeting, necessary guidelines were given to the officials regarding the outline, design, facilities and construction timeline of the building.
Strategic importance for Chardham Yatra
Rudraprayag is considered a major stop for the devotees going on Chardham Yatra especially Kedarnath Dham. Every year lakhs of pilgrims, administrative officials and distinguished guests pass through this area. In such a situation, the construction of the State Guest House will not only meet the government and administrative needs but will also play an important role in disaster management and special circumstances.
The government has identified about 0.375 hectares of land in Ratura area for this project. Officials believe that this place will prove to be suitable from the travel route point of view as well as useful for administrative activities.
A glimpse of modern hill architecture
The state government wants to develop this building not just as a residential complex but as a symbol of the cultural and architectural identity of Uttarakhand. In the meeting, Secretary State Property Department instructed the officials of the Public Works Department that while preparing the design of the building, special attention should be paid to the local hill architecture, natural environment and special needs of the hilly areas. The construction will incorporate traditional architectural style with modern facilities so that the building appears in harmony with the local culture and natural beauty.
Adequate number of residential rooms, VIP suites, meeting rooms, parking, security arrangements and other necessary facilities will be provided in the proposed guest house. Keeping in mind the increasing needs in future, it is being planned to be developed from a long-term perspective.
Special focus on environmental standards
Adherence to environmental standards is considered extremely important for construction work in the sensitive hilly areas of Uttarakhand. For this reason, in the meeting, special emphasis was laid on the guidelines and mountain construction standards of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Officials have been instructed to ensure that the distance, height and other technical parameters of the building from the river all conform to the prescribed rules. Also, the quality and safety of construction should not be compromised at any level.
Emphasis on time bound construction
The government wants that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project should be prepared as soon as possible and submitted to the government so that the construction work can be started within the stipulated time. Secretary State Property Department Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar gave clear instructions to the officials that the project should be taken forward in a time bound manner and each stage should be reviewed regularly. He said that this is an important initiative towards giving a modern and useful look to the state’s assets.
Both travel and administration will benefit
Experts believe that the construction of the State Guest House will provide better accommodation facilities for VIP visitors, senior officials and various government delegations during the Chardham Yatra. Apart from this, this building can also become an important center of administrative activities in disaster or emergency situations.
In view of the ever increasing number of devotees in Chardham Yatra, this project is being prepared keeping in mind the future needs. This will also give new strength to travel management and will expand the government infrastructure in Rudraprayag area.
The state government believes that this modern state guest house to be built in Ratura will not be just a building but will prove to be an important step towards expanding the facilities on the Chardham Yatra route and strengthening the administrative capacity of Uttarakhand.
