Uttarakhand CM Announces Temple Restoration, New Tehsil Building During Rudraprayag Visit

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday announced restoration work at the Maa Chandika temple complex in Biron Deval village and the construction of a new tehsil building in Basukedar during a visit to Rudraprayag district.

Dhami was attending the Maa Chandika Mahavanyath Devra Yatra in the Augustyamuni block, where he participated in a Mahayagya and offered prayers at the temple.

According to the Chief Minister’s office, the temple premises and associated structures will be reconstructed through the state archaeology department. The proposed tehsil building at Basukedar is expected to strengthen local administrative infrastructure in the region.

The visit comes as the state government continues to position religious tourism and heritage conservation as part of its broader development strategy. Uttarakhand has, in recent years, undertaken restoration and infrastructure projects linked to major pilgrimage circuits, including post-disaster reconstruction at the Kedarnath Temple following the 2013 floods.

Addressing the gathering, Dhami said the Mahayagya, being organised after a gap of 20 years, reflected continuity in local cultural traditions and community participation. He said such events contribute to social cohesion and inter-generational transmission of customs.

The Chief Minister also referred to legislative measures undertaken by the state, including the implementation of an anti-conversion law and the Uniform Civil Code. He stated that more than 12,000 instances of land encroachment have been cleared across the state in recent years.

While the event was primarily religious in nature, several government departments set up stalls at the venue to disseminate information about state and central welfare schemes. Local representatives, including Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, submitted memoranda outlining regional demands. The Chief Minister said these would be reviewed.

The Maa Chandika Divara Yatra began on 21 November 2025 and has covered around 26 villages in the region. The yatra is being organised after a gap of two decades and is scheduled to conclude on 24 February 2026 with a Purnahuti ceremony. A nine-day Mahayagya is currently underway at Biron Deval, with a Jal Yatra planned for 22 February 2026.

The event was attended by elected representatives, district officials and members of local committees.

For the state government, the announcements signal a continued focus on combining religious tourism, heritage preservation and administrative expansion in hill districts as part of its regional development agenda.