Wearing a white-coloured traditional attire of the hill people with a "swastika" symbol embroidered on it, the prime minister performed a "puja" at the temple.
After performing the "puja" at the Kedarnath temple, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone of the 9.7-km Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project.
During his two-and-a-half-hour-long programme at Kedarnath, Modi is also scheduled visit the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya.
The prime minister is also scheduled to visit the Badrinath temple later in the day.
During his two-and-a-half-hour-long programme at Kedarnath, Modi is also scheduled visit the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya.
At Badrinath Dham, he will review the progress of the development projects along the riverfront.
In the afternoon, Modi will lay the foundation stones of road and ropeway projects and address a gathering at Mana village. Thereafter, he will review the progress of the beautification project of the Arrival Plaza and the lakes in the area.
Security has been tightened around the two famous hill temples in view of the prime minister's visit. Both the temples have been decorated with quintals of flowers.
During his two-day tour of the state, Modi will inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones of some new ones.
On his arrival at the Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun, the prime minister was received by Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union minister Ajay Bhatt.
KEDARNATH and HEMKUND ropeway:
The ropeway in Kedarnath will be around 9.7 Km long and will connect Gaurikund to Kedarnath, reducing the travel time between the two places from 6-7 hours at present, to only about 30 mins. The Hemkund ropeway will connect Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib. It will be around 12.4 Km long and will reduce the travel time from more than a day to only about 45 mins. This ropeway will also connect Ghangaria, which is the gateway to Valley of Flowers National Park.
The ropeways will be developed at a cumulative cost of around ₹2,430 crore. This major infrastructure development will give a boost to religious tourism, which will give a fillip to the economic development in the region and lead to creation of multiple employment opportunities as well.
