Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath Temple at around 10 am this morning. The Himalayan place of pilgrimage, dedicated to Shiva, will be closed beginning Saturday for six months due to winter. Modi had gone this temple on May 3 this year when the doors of the shrine were opened to devotees.

Prime Minister Modi is also programmed to lay the foundation stone for projects ‘worth hundreds of crores of rupees’, taking into consideration the incomplete flood protection works and reconstruction of Kedarpuri that needs to be done, state BJP president Ajay Bhatt said . Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, state ministers and BJP workers are among the 4,000 people likely to be present at the temple premises.

On Thursday Modi celebrated Diwali with the Indian Army and Border Security Force officials near the Line of Control in North Kashmir’s Gurez sector.

Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat tweeted saying Modi’s usual visits to Kedarnath have set a heighten to religious tourism in Uttarakhand. “…as a result, 7.5 lakh more pilgrims have visited the char dham this year as compared to last year, CM Trivendra has said in his tweet.

PM Narendra Modi offered prayers at the Kedarnath temple accompanying with Trivendra Singh rawat, KK Paul, Uttarakhand BJP President Ajay Bhatt and other party ministers and workers.