Amarnath Yatris to get new experience: Lt Gen Srinivasan

Rajouri, May 14:  Director General Border Roads, Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan Tuesday said that the pilgrims, embarking on the holy pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath this year, would witness a new experience with improved facilities on the track.

“Border Road Organisation (BRO) has made a lot of efforts for improvement in facilities as well as safety precautions - the tasks assigned by government, last year,” DG said while speaking to the media, on the sidelines of the breakthrough ceremony of Sungal tunnel on Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway.

This 2.79 km tunnel is being constructed near Kali Dwar, between Sunderbani-Bhambla and Akhnoor, on NH-144A.

“I have just returned from Baltal. I am happy to inform you that BRO has done a lot of work as assigned by the government for safety precautions for a better experience of pilgrims,” he said.

Sharing details, Lt Gen Srinivasan said, “Sharp curves on the pathway towards holy Amarnath shrine have been widened and improved by BRO after this work was assigned by the government along with other tasks last year.”

“We have also worked to reduce sharp slopes wherever possible and required while railing (side steel stands) have also been installed to avert (slipping) accidents. Sidewalls, at locations prone to shooting stones enroute cave shrine, too have been erected,” he said.

“There was the problem of water drainage and we have constructed drains (rainwater outlets) as per the requirement,” Lt Gen Srinivasan said, expressing happiness that BRO was now the first choice for execution of all important works, strategic infrastructure in sensitive and inaccessible areas in the country, as seen in Andaman and Nicobar also.

In this connection, he also referred to projects of the Shinku-La tunnel and Nimu-Padam-Darcha road, connecting Manali to Leh and also providing a third axis to connect Ladakh to the hinterland, being executed by BRO.