Srinagar, July 03 : The Border Roads Organisation Saturday said that the restoration works on Amarnath Yatra track will be completed by Jun 15 while the Yatra is scheduled to commence from Amarnath Yatra tracks were handed over to BRO in September 2022 for further maintenance and upgradation. “Earlier the yatra track from Baltal to Holy Cave was maintained by PWD (R&B) and the one from Chandanwari to Holy Cave was maintained by Pahalgam Development Authority. Restoration works on the tracks could however, commence only in March 2023 after the necessary funds were released to BRO by the government,” reads the statement. It reads that the basic scope of work involved snow clearance, widening of the track, restoration of all foot bridges, fixing of hand rails, protection works at slide prone stretches and construction of breast walls and retaining walls for protection of the track. It added that BRO has been asked to complete the restoration works by June 15 as the Yatra is set to commence wef 01 Jul 2023. It further reads that snow clearance, using plant machinery, commenced on both the tracks from Baltal and Chandanwari in the last week of March. “Concurrent to the progress of snow clearance of the tracks, additional plant equipment and manpower were employed for other restoration works. As on date, eight dozers/ excavators and almost 1100 labours are working on the tracks. Though, unprecedented snow and rain in the higher reaches in Kashmir during April & May has slowed the progress of work, BRO is committed to completing the task in time.” It reads that Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, VSM, DGBR visited Baltal and Chandanwari today and inspected the progress of work on both Yatra tracks. He was briefed in detail by CE, Beacon on the status of various tasks being undertaken by BRO and the envisaged completion plan before the commencement of the Yatra 2023. Speaking on the occasion, DGBR commended the Karamyogis of Project Beacon for the restoration work being executed on the tracks. He assured everyone that despite the loss of precious time due to inclement weather during April-May, the tracks will be made available to the Civil Administration by June 15 as desired. He also informed that the restoration works for further improvement of the tracks will continue even after the completion of Yatra this year to facilitate better quality tracks for subsequent years.
