On Monday (3rd August), Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that massive work is going on for highways construction and almost 85% of work has been completed on the Kailash Mansarovar route via Pithoragarh.

Work is on in full swing on the Chardham project that costs about Rs 12,000 crore, said the Road Transport and Highways Minister while he was addressing an event through video conferencing.

Gadkari said that once the work is completed, he will himself take the Prime Minister to Mansarovar via Pithoragarh.

Recently, Gadkari had complimented the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for completion of the work of road connectivity from Dharchula to Lipulekh, popularly known as Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route. This will ease the journey of the pilgrims.

This 80-km strategically crucial stretch will connect the Lipulekh pass at a height of 17,000 feet along the border with China in Uttarakhand with Dharchula.

The pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra can avoid the hard trek through the high-altitude terrains after the project is completed. Further, the period of the journey will be reduced by many days.

It takes approximately 2-3 weeks to reach Kailash Mansarovar through Sikkim or Nepal, presently.

The elderly yatris used to face a lot of trouble since the Lipulekh route had a trek of 90 km through high altitude terrain. Now, this yatra will get completed by vehicles.

The Dharchula - Lipulekh road is an extension of the Pithoragarh-Tawaghat-Ghatiabagarh road, originating from Ghatiabagarh and terminating at Lipulekh Pass, the gateway to Kailash Mansarovar. In this 80-km road, the altitude rises from 6,000 feet to 17,060 feet.

The work on the Chardham project, proposing all-weather connectivity to Yamnotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath through 826km highways, is going on in full swing as said by Nitin Gadkari, the Road Transport and Highways Minister.

Gadkari had requested the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, last month, to expedite land acquisition and environment clearances with the purpose of fast-tracking Chardham project.