Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Friday morning and after paying a visit to the famous Shiva shrine, addressed the assembled crowd. Read on for live updates:

11.42 am: Asking adventure lovers to flock to Uttarakhand as the state has plenty to offer for the adventure and water sports lovers, Modi invites everyone to come explore the majestic Himalayas.

The Himalayas have so much to offer- for spiritual pursuits, for the nature lover, for those interested in adventure, water sports. I invite everyone to come and explore the Himalayas: PM @narendramodi

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— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11.27 am: Modi asserts that quality infrastructure is being built in Kedarnath. It will be modern but crucially, the traditional ethos will be preserved all the while ensuring the environment does not get damaged with the construction.

We are building quality infrastructure in Kedarnath. It will be modern but the traditional ethos will be preserved. We will ensure the environment is not damaged: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11.22 am: Modi states that the work done in Kedarnath shows how an ideal ‘Tirth Kshetra’ should be. Pilgrim-friendly shines should be the norm, not the exception in the future.

Through the work we are doing in Kedarnath, we want to show how an ideal ‘Tirth Kshetra’ should be, how it should be pilgrim friendly and the wellbeing of the priests should be given importance: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11.20 am: The Prime Minister admits he was sad when he learned of the devastation wreaked by the 2013 floods in the state of Uttarakhand.

The floods of 2013 had made all of us extremely sad. That time I was not the Prime Minister, I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. I came here to do all that I could for victims: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11.15 am : PM Modi says to serve the people is akin to serving god. He seeks the blessing of Bhole Baba and pledges to devote himself to realising the dream of a developed India by 2022.

Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva. From this holy land of Kedarnath, I seek the blessings of Bhole Baba and pledge to devote myself fully to realising the dream of a developed India by the time we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11. 12 am: The PM greets all Gujaratis on the occasion of their New Year or Nutan Varsh.

I am happy to be in Kedarnath, a day after Diwali. Today, Gujaratis are celebrating the start of a New Year. I convey my greetings to everyone around the world who mark the start of Nutan Varsh: PM @narendramodi in Kedarnath

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

11 10 am: PM Modi takes the podium and starts his address by greeting everyone with ‘Jai Jai Kedar’. He then wishes everyone good health and success.

11 am : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh is addressing the assembled crowd. He welcomes the Prime Minister and thanks him for having given his precious time to visit the state. He reminds everyone that the PM spent his Diwali with troops in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir.

10 30 am : The Prime Minister is expected to be escorted by Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat as he seeks blessings at the famous Shiva shrine before laying the foundation stone for a slew of projects. Modi is then expected to meet and address BJP party workers of the state.

10 am: PM Narendra Modi reaches Kedarnath.

Governor Shri KK Paul and CM @tsrawatbjp welcomed the Prime Minister to Uttarakhand. PM will attend programmes in Kedarnath during his visit to the state. pic.twitter.com/T3HyMGTwB6

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 20, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath Temple at around 11 am on Friday morning. According to media reports, Modi is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone for various projects on Friday.

He is expected to meet address BJP workers on his second visit to the state. While the Shiva shrine is deserted on Diwali festival as most priests and shopkeepers go back to their homes to celebrate the festival, this time round it is the reverse. The famous shrine will shut down on Saturday.

The priests at the Lord Shiva shrine and the locals welcomed the Prime Minister. The temple was decked up with yellow flowers. The Prime Minister sat in the sanctum sanctorum, offered prayers and performed the Rudrabhishek, a day after Diwali.

The place has been lit up with electric lights and flowers and there is a lot of activity in the run up to the visit by Modi. Kedarnath was ravaged by flash floods in 2013, killing thousands. Modi will lay the foundation stone for a new ‘Kedarpuri’.

An Uttarakhand official told IANS that Modi will also lay foundation stones for reconstruction of the ‘samadhi sthal’ of Adi Shankra and construction of a museum. He is also likely to address a gathering at the shrine.