look news india
Joshimath, June 28 (HS). In the catastrophic tragedy of Reni-Tapovan in the year 2021, many foot and motor bridges were washed away from Reni to Joshimath, being a border road, motor bridges were built but the condition of foot bridges remains the same. In the disaster of Reni-Tapovan, the foot bridge of Vishnuprayag, the first Prayag of Uttarakhand, was also washed away, which could not be built even after three years. Before the construction of the road to Badrinath, the journey to Shri Badrinath Dham was conducted from the Vishnuprayag foot bridge, devotees used to travel through this foot bridge after visiting Lord Narsingh in Joshimath.
Regarding the reconstruction of this 90 meter span bridge that was destroyed in the Tapovan disaster, PWD EE Rajbir Singh Chauhan said that after the Raini disaster, the estimate for the first phase of works was sent to the government, which has not been approved yet, the DPR can be prepared only after the first phase estimate is approved.
Even after the construction of the road, the importance of this foot bridge did not diminish, devotees traveling on foot, sages and saints also used to travel through this bridge, and when it became dilapidated, it was also reconstructed, which fell prey to the disaster of 2021.
This foot bridge was also important because when the road remained blocked for several days due to rockfall in the Hathi Pahad area, the local administration, with the help of the Army and ITBP, arranged for the movement of devotees of Shri Badrinath Dham, Shri Hemkund Sahib and Lokpal through this bridge.
But even after three years of the Reni-Tapovan disaster, no action could be taken towards the construction of this bridge. However, after the bridge was damaged, it was also suggested that if a light vehicle bridge is constructed in place of the foot bridge, then light vehicles can travel to Badrinath via Narsingh Temple Joshimath.
It can be understood that when there has been no approval for three years for the reconstruction of the bridge destroyed in the disaster, then only 17 months have passed since the Joshimath landslide disaster, it would be too early to expect treatment and other works here in just 17 months.
If we talk about the Joshimath landslide disaster, the government machinery is busy in the elections, and the affected people are spending their days wandering here and there, but another aspect of the Joshimath disaster has also come to the fore. The popular example of “disaster came and brought wealth” is fitting on some of the affected people. Here, there are many home stays and residential buildings which were marked as unsafe and full compensation was paid to them, but not only are these unsafe home stays being operated without any hindrance, but tenants have also been kept in the unsafe buildings.
After all, for what reasons is this huge mistake being overlooked, that too when the monsoon is knocking, in such a situation, if there is any loss of life in these unsafe category homestays and residential houses, then the government administration will also be accountable. Because after any incident, these same people will say why were unsafe homestays allowed to operate and why were people allowed to live in unsafe houses? However, the government has not yet been able to decide the rate of land for the displacement of unsafe category houses.
Even during the Joshimath landslide disaster, when the matter of buildings constructed against the norms came to light, it was said that where was the administration sleeping when the construction was going on against the norms? Why was construction allowed against the norms?
Now it remains to be seen when the Vishnuprayag bridge destroyed in the Raini disaster will be constructed and what will be the future of Joshimath landslide affected people? The affected voters will also keep an eye on this.
