Gopeshwar, March 18 The first phase of redevelopment projects underway at the Badrinath Dham, under a master plan, has been completed, officials said on Wednesday.
This marks the beginning of the second phase of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious master plan, they said.
The redevelopment works to improve basic facilities at the Himalayan temple in Chamoli district have been ongoing for the past five years. A budget of Rs 440 crore has been allocated for the Badrinath master plan.
Yogesh Manral, Executive Engineer of the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Public Works Department (PWD), which is working on the master plan, said that construction work is being carried out rapidly, with targets set for all aspects, including traffic management, pedestrian movement of pilgrims, street lighting, streamlining of commercial establishments, protection of river banks, sewage disposal, as well as security and parking.
The divine and grand form of the Badrinath Dham is starting to take shape, he said.
Manral said that in the first phase of the master plan, the construction of a one-way loop road, BRO bypass road, civic amenity building, Sheshnetra lake, Badrish lake, ISBT building, tourist management centre building, and arrival plaza has been completed.
He added that the work on the hospital extension building is in the final stages.