Uttarakhand High Court Upholds Deployment of Diploma Engineers for Kedarnath Yatra Safety
The Uttarakhand High Court has firmly dismissed an appeal filed by diploma engineers who were challenging their mandatory deployment during the annual Kedarnath pilgrimage. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay, delivered the significant ruling, emphasizing the critical importance of pilgrim safety and the state government's administrative prerogative in such matters.
Court's Rationale on Public Safety and Administrative Authority
The bench explicitly stated that, "given the increasing number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath each year, it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure their safety and convenience." This observation underscores the escalating challenges posed by the growing footfall at the revered Himalayan shrine. The court further affirmed that the government retains the full authority to deploy its employees in alignment with administrative requirements and the broader public interest, a principle central to the dismissal of the appeal.
This ruling effectively upheld a prior order from a single-judge bench, which had also rejected the petition submitted by the Uttarakhand Diploma Engineers Federation. The federation represents engineers employed within key state departments, including the Public Works Department (PWD) and the irrigation department.
Clarifying the Nature of Assigned Duties
The core contention raised by the engineers' federation was that its members—being technical personnel—were being improperly assigned sanitation duties during the yatra. They argued that such tasks fell outside their professional scope and expertise, constituting an inappropriate use of their technical skills.
However, the division bench conducted a thorough examination of the case and reached a different conclusion based on official documentation. The court scrutinized a government order dated April 5, 2023, and determined that the diploma engineers were not assigned sanitation work at all.
Instead, the bench observed that these engineers were entrusted with vital technical responsibilities directly linked to pilgrim safety. Their duties included critical tasks such as:
- Preventing landslides along the treacherous mountain routes.
- Repairing and maintaining footpaths to ensure safe and smooth pilgrim movement.
- Other engineering-related functions essential for the yatra's infrastructure.
The court noted that sanitation-related duties for the yatra were explicitly assigned to other entities, including Sulabh International and various municipal bodies. The bench pointed out that the "appellants failed to place any material on record to substantiate their claim that diploma engineers were engaged in sanitation work," highlighting a lack of evidence for their primary grievance.
Reaffirming the Duties of Government Employees
In its comprehensive judgment, the bench also took the opportunity to clarify the expected conduct of government servants. It observed that all employees are required to perform duties assigned to them according to service exigencies and administrative needs. This principle is fundamental to public service, especially during large-scale events like the Kedarnath yatra that demand coordinated state effort.
With these detailed observations, the High Court dismissed the appeal, reinforcing the state's framework for managing the pilgrimage and the appropriate deployment of its technical staff. The decision sets a precedent for the allocation of specialized personnel during major public events in Uttarakhand, prioritizing safety and operational efficiency.
