Uttarakhand: 2013 calamity to impact number of visitors to shrines

, Apr 23: Despite government endeavours to ensure safety of

and completing infrastructure development before the

begins, officials feel that the fear psychosis of last year's calamity will affect the flow of visitors to

and other Himalayan shrines this year.

"Safety of visitors is our top priority and all measures to ensure that are being taken but the sense of insecurity among people is bound to affect the number of devotees visiting the famed temples of Uttarakhand this year," Barinderjeet Singh, Superintendent of Police, Rudraprayag said.

He further said there is no cause for anxiety as the entire government machinery is working overtime to ensure a trouble free and smooth yatra for devotees and conceded that the sense of insecurity among potential visitors will go away only with time.

"The fear psychosis gripping people will not go away overnight. It will ebb only gradually as more and more people visit the shrines or the winter sport destinations like Auli in Uttarakhand hills and spread the word that everything is fine," he added.

Speaking of steps being taken to make the annual pilgrimage absolutely safe for devotees of all age groups, he said slopes too steep along the 16-km pedestrian route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath are being made more gentle to suit the capacity of all pilgrims, the fit as well as the not-so-fit.

PTI