In Varanasi, the recently launched Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is being greatly praised as a representation of India’s resurgence of religious awareness. On Monday, PM Modi dedicated the 1st phase of the motivated project Kashi Vishwanath Corridor built at the cost of almost Rupees 339 crore. This Kashi Vishwanath Corridor would attach two iconic landmarks: Kashi Vishwanath temple or the Ganga river, and it offers a load of amenities to devotees. Let us discuss information regarding the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project in detail.
What do you mean by the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, and who makes this?
This project had been declared in 2018 March, and Prime minister Modi accompanied by CM Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik laid the establishment stone for the adornment or expansion project of the temple area. After five years, Narendra Modi established the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor before the Lok Sabha votes. In addition, the project is being individually astounded by Narendra Modi and funded by the Uttar Pradesh authority. Planning, HCP design, and management private limited are building this corridor. More so, the firm has submitted the DPR (Detailed project report) of rupees 750 crores that earmarked Rs 460 crores for construction only. The Rs 290 crores have been spent on buying the buildings in the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project area.
PM Narendra Modi’s vision was also to make sure that every heritage structure has been conserved during the course of the project’s progress. During the procedure of demolition of old property, more than forty ancient temples were revived.
Who is administering the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project?
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project is under the administration of the Kashi Vishwanath particular area development board. This board was created by act through an official gazette issued by Uttar Pradesh authority. It obtained the assent of the director of UP on September 1st, 2018, and was published in Uttar Pradesh Gazette. Moreover, an act to establish the Kashi Vishwanath particular area development board to formulate, generate, regulate, execute, and preserve the specific area under its jurisdiction to preserve or develop the religious, cultural, architectural, and mythological aesthetics.
There are primary functions of the Kashi Vishwanath particular area development board such as below:
- The board is to get ready a plan for the specific development areas.
- It is to prepare a plan for rehabilitation as may be needed.
- It is to preserve the legacy that falls under its jurisdiction.
What are the most critical aspects of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project?
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project is built on an area of almost 12 acres or 525000 sq. ft. As a part of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, twenty-seven fresh buildings would be built involving Varanasi city gallery, temple chowk, multi-purpose auditorium, museum, hall, public convenience, devotee facilitation center, salvation home, Bhogshala, Godowlia gate, shelter for Sevadars or priests, and other amenities for devotees. In addition, a twenty-meter-wide path would be built from the Ganga river to Kashi Vishwanath temple.
After five years, Narendra Modi established the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor before the Lok Sabha votes. The government obtained about 400 houses or buildings throughout the joint contract with their owner. These all structures were destroyed as part of the reconstruction project of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor temple. The authority stated that forty temples with affordable antiquity were reformed in the procedure.
What is the aim of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, and what has the office told about this project?
The project’s main objective is to convert pilgrims’ experience of the town of the temple, and PM Modi has taken a load of interest in this project. There is some points guide on this grand plan of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project such as below:
- The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor connects the two iconic landmarks: The Ganga river and the temple.
- The project intends to ensure devotees or pilgrims’ effortless or straightforward movement among the temple or Ganga ghat. Previously, they had to pass through congested roads to arrive at the temple.
- The 1st phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project that PM Modi would launch in a short while has been constructed at a rate of almost Rs 339 crore. Besides, the 1st phase extends across about a five lakh square feet area and involves twenty-three buildings.
- The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, the foundation stone for that laid in 2019, would cost almost Rs 800 crore on the whole. Above the three hundred properties have been obtained to execute the grand arrangement. Approximately 1400 tenants, shopkeepers, or homeowners were reforming, a declaration from the PMO (Prime minister’s office) said.
- More than forty old temples were rediscovered through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project work. Also, they were reinstated to make sure there is no modification in the original arrangement, stated by PMO.
Is there any protest in opposition to the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor?
In 2018, a Facebook live by Sankaracharya designate of Jyotish, Avimukteshwaranand Swami, indicted the Uttar Pradesh authority under Adityanath Yogi of demolishing heritage buildings, ancient murtis, and shrines in the name of progress. Further to the address of Facebook live, there is a letter that has allegedly written by the Sankaracharya specified address to the CM Adityanath yogi where he summarizes numerous key concerns involved as:
- Destroying of historical or Pauranic shrines or murtis of historical or traditional antiquity or significance.
- Demolition of Ganesh shrines or murtis (Pramoda Vinayak and Moda Vinayak) that are revealed in Skanda Purana.
- Disrespect for traditional or historical contexts of the heritage site.
- Powerful conquest of Mandana Mishra Sthan or historic Vyas-peeth.
- The total disrespect for the sentiments of individuals of Saha Sanatanis or Kashi.
- He has also created it clearly in a speech that he grasps PM Narendra Modi uniformly accountable for the decision to construct up this Kashi Vishwanath Corridor that might finish up demolishing a part of the traditional heritage of Kashi, moving even as distant as to state that Prime minister, BJP or CM are not Hindus.
Plus, there have been objections by the Dharohar Bachao Samithi Kashi who has led objection or protest rally, and every shopkeeper lining the tapered street foremost to the Kashi Vishwanath holy place have been noticed 1-day bandh objections the destruction or urging the authority to cease from going forward with intended Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
In addition, it has also been written by Sankaracharya Shri Swaroopanand Saraswati to Narendra Modi that declaring this corridor is a tragedy in preparing. Also, he has then stated that in spite of cleaning-up Mother Ganga, the authority by intending to construct this Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is bent on demolishing the very fountainhead of heritage or tradition of Kashi.
What would occur with the temple discovered during the building of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor?
SKVT (Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust) or SKVSADB ( Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board) have determined around thirty major temples that have spiritual or historical importance according to Kashi Khand of Skand Puran. Currently, trust wishes to preserve or restore these temples to their erstwhile glory. It could need a three-dimensional mapping of the present arrangement, preservation, or intensification of the temple.
How would Narendra Modi’s Dream or Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project increase spiritual tourism?
The progress of this Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has been projected to raise the region’s entire economy because all the amenities have been created to manage the vast football of pilgrims. This project, Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, would assist in raising spiritual tourism and also provide a boost to the local economy. During the phase of construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, the number of tourists to Kashi Vishwanath increased by 2.5 times, according to Divisional commissioner Varanasi, Deepak Agrawal.
The PM, who is on a two-day visit to his community of Lok sabha, delivered prayers at this holy place of Kashi Vishwanath and also planted a tree ‘Rudraksha’ at premises of the holy place; he also provided the Chandan, Ganga Jal, or milk to Lora Shiva at this temple. PM Modi’s central vision is to facilitate the pilgrims, and the PM laid the foundation on March 8th, 2019. A total of twenty of their buildings opened in 1st phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project. The buildings would offer a range of amenities to pilgrims visiting this temple, including as Tourish facilitation center, Yatri Suvidha Kendras, Vedic Kendra, City Museum, Bhogshala, Viewing Gallery, Mumukshu Bhavan, and among others.
Final words
It can be concluded that PM Modi inaugurated the first phase of the corridor that has extended the temple area and Narendra Modi in his address during its foundation stone-laying. It also noticed that it was hard to take individuals into self-assurance to provide their properties or ensure that the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project did not take political color. The project has intended to make sure effortless movement of devotees or pilgrims among the temple or Ganga ghat.
