Approval Granted for the Creation of Lord Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra on Badrinath Temple Grounds

The Cabinet of Uttarakhand has given the green light for the development of a series of notable structures linked to Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath temple complex, as part of an overarching plan to enhance the sacred Himalayan shrine.

This redevelopment features four major installations: a Sheshnetra Lotus Wall along the Badrinath lakefront, a Sudarshan Chakra sculpture at the temple’s entrance plaza, an artistic installation named Sudarshan Chowk Kalakriti at the same location, and a combined tree and river sculpture at Badrinarayan Chowk within the temple grounds.

Situated over 10,000 feet above sea level, the Badrinath temple serves as a significant pilgrimage destination dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
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Detailing the redevelopment initiative, Shailesh Bagauli, Secretary to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, stated that these projects were envisioned by the state Tourism Department as part of the master plan for Badrinath’s redevelopment. “The funding for their execution will come from either Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), or government support from the Centre or the state,” he mentioned.

In addition, the Uttarakhand cabinet approved the reorganization of the State Human Rights Commission, which will see the addition of 12 new positions on top of the existing 47.

The Cabinet also approved the creation of 15 more positions within the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission, which currently has 62 roles, to improve its administrative effectiveness.

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Furthermore, the Cabinet agreed to exempt specific hybrid vehicles from motor vehicle tax under updated Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and strong hybrid electric vehicles will be eligible for this exemption under Rule 125 ‘M’ of the Central Motor Vehicles (Ninth Amendment) Rules, 2023.

Bagauli provided insight into the rationale behind this policy change: “The aim of the decision is to motivate vehicle owners to buy and utilize vehicles of this category and also to mitigate pollution.” The exemption will be applicable only once during the current financial year 2025–26.