PM Narendra Modi to lay foundation stone of all-weather chardham road

DEHRADUN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dehradun on December 27 to lay the foundation stone of a network of all-weather roads to Chardham, a popular name for the famous Himalayan shrines located in Uttarakhand including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

Disclosing the information to the media here today Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt said Prime Minister has agreed to lay the foundation stone of the ambitious project on December 27 which will ensure uninterrupted all weather safe journey for pilgrims to the four shrines which bore the brunt of the 2013 natural calamity.

To be developed in the mountainous Chardham region which is highly prone to natural disasters like landslides, cloud bursts and flash floods, the all-weather road network would be completely fail-safe, Bhatt said.

Modi will also address a public meeting after the foundation laying ceremony at the Parade Ground, Bhatt said.

"We are delighted that the Prime Minister is finally coming for the event which has a lot of meaning for Uttarakhand," Bhatt said adding it was earlier slated for April.

Describing the project as "close to BJP's heart", Bhatt said the Centre had directly sanctioned Rs 11,500 crore for it.

It is also being seen as a smart political move by the BJP to woo the voters ahead of 2017 assembly elections.