Kedarnath temple safe but off-limits for a year: U'khand CM

The famous Kedarnath shrine located in the Himalayan ranges in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand is safe but will remain out of bounds for at least one year, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said on Wednesday.

"Kedarnath shrine is safe but it is under a lot of slush," he told PTI in Delhi after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who announced Rs. 1,000 crore in aid to Uttarakhand to handle the relief and rescue operations.

Bahuguna said there were a lot of debris around the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and it would require at least one year to clean and subsequently open the shrine to the

public. "Kedarnath shrine will remain out of bounds for pilgrims for one year," the chief minister said.

Parts of Uttarakhand experienced flash floods triggered by incessant rains over the past three days, which has left 150 people dead and thousands of tourists and pilgrims stranded.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi undertook an aerial survey of the rain-affected regions. 

Pictures of the Kedarnath temple, one of the holiest of the Hindu shrines, had raised concerns over the condition of the shrine. Located in the Himalayas at a height of 3584 meters near the Chorabari glacier, the Kedarnath temple is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all over the world.