Kedarnath Yatra being restored brick by brick

KEDARNATH: All available resources have been engaged to rebuild the Kedarnath temple, which was the first to be hit by the wall of water on June 16 last year.
The shrine remained largely undamaged after a boulder, which some believe was divine intervention and is now being worshipped, saved the temple building from being smashed to smithereens like the surrounding pilgrim lodges.
The army, central and state government are trying hard to restore the Kedarnath Yatra to its former glory. The yatra has seen an almost 70% dip in pilgrim inflow. This can be attributed to factors such as fear, a new difficult trek, and expensive chopper service.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has rebuilt most of the roads leading to the yatra apart from some landslide prone patches. The army is still working on the final walk from Sonprayag to Kedarnath. The new walking trek is 22km-long and is steep and takes at least 7 hours for the fittest of pilgrims.
The chopper ride is expensive for the ‘aam aadmi' at Rs 7,000 for a two-way trip from Phata. The ride takes 7 to 8 minutes and can carry up to six passengers.
The state and central administration along with the army have set up a camp near the shrine. They also offer free food to all who visit Kedarnath. The state administration has decided to do away with all lodges surrounding the shrine. They are also engaged in a clean up drive with volunteers.
Kedarnath district disaster manager Meera Kaintusa said: "As the debris is being removed we are also cleaning the area. We want to make Kedarnath a plastic-free zone and we plan to remove all the lodges around the shrine." Solar lamps distributed by the state are being used at the camp. Kaintusa said the mammoth rebuilding has been done within a year so people don't have to skip the pilgrimage and continue this centuries old tradition.