‘Kunj Galis’, the iconic narrow lanes that lead to the famous Banke Bihari temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan are set for a change. With the Allahabad High Court’s go-ahead to the Uttar Pradesh Government for construction of a proposed corridor around the temple, the district administration has begun its ‘land acquisition exercises’.
Officials with the district administration said they are done with the survey and other compensation related exercises, however, they are waiting for further instructions from the UP government.
“The Banke Bihari Corridor is a major project. The Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad will carry out the work. We are done with the basic ground work, but are waiting for instructions from the government,” Umesh Chand Nigam, City Magistrate, Mathura, told News18.
The officials said the survey of around five acres of land on which the corridor is proposed has been completed and around 300 establishments that need to be bulldozed have been marked. Sources said around Rs 250 crore would be required to acquire the land. “This is the second time that the area has been surveyed. Prior to this, in January 2023, the administration had carried out a survey on the orders of the High Court to submit a development plan with the estimated cost. However, then, the focus of the eight-member committee, headed by the Municipal Commissioner, was the development plan,” sources from the district administration said.
THE HC NOD
The Allahabad High Court on November 20 approved the UP Government’s proposal for the Vrindavan (Mathura) Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. The court instructed the removal of encroachments around the temple, and emphasised on public interest in proper temple management, citing religious, social, historical and cultural significance. However, it restrained the use of Rs 262.50 crore from the deity’s bank account for corridor construction and asked the government to use its own funds for secular activities.
The decision came while hearing a public interest litigation on crowd management and pilgrim safety at the Banke Bihari Temple. The court noted issues in temple management and acknowledged difficulties arising from disputes among Sevayats.
THE BLUEPRINT
Officials with the district administration said the Banke Bihari Corridor, set to be one of the grandest in UP, will be built on the lines of Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. While sharing the blueprint, officials said, “It will be a blend of tradition and modern, where the core area of the temple would remain undisturbed,” an official said.
Once developed, the corridor will not only boost the economy, but will also help in managing the crowd. According to the proposed blueprint, the project that is likely to cost Rs 262 crore will make enough room for devotees. Against the present capacity of around 800 devotees, officials said the corridor will be able to accommodate over 10,000 devotees at a time. It also envisages the “transformation” of the crammed lanes that lead to the temple. “Jugalghat, Vidyapeeth intersection and the stretch from Jadoun parking will be widened to accommodate maximum devotees,” officials said.
The approach road to the temple via Jugalghat will be widened to 25 meters. Similarly, the road leading to the entry from Vidyapeeth Square will be widened to 7 meters, and the Jadon parking area road will be widened to 15 meters, the official added.
As per the proposed corridor layout, other than the Banke Bihari temple, two other ancient temples — Madan Mohan and Radha Ballabh – will also get a facelift. As part of the proposal, a two-floor plaza will be constructed around the temple. The ground floor will be spread across an area of 11,000 sq m and will house puja samagri shops, medical facilities, artifact shops and painting shops. It will also house a 3,500-sqm waiting room for the pilgrims, while around 5,113-sqm will be developed as an open area to make the interiors spacious.
The upper floor will be spread across 10,600 sqm, a 6,580-sqm area will be developed into an open assembly hall, 900-sqm area will be the temple circumbulation path, 100 sqm for the commodities room, 50 sqm for prasadam room, 100 sqm for electrical services, 800 sqm for devotees and others.
GREEN AREA
“The corridor will be beautified with greenery, including parijat, kadam, banyan, peepal and other trees, especially from the Krishna era. The dense shade of the trees will add to the beautification of the corridor,” said officials.
As per the UP Government records, around 1,76,88,788 tourists visited Vrindavan in 2022, whereas in 2021, the number was 1,30,46,242. After the construction of the corridor, the number is expected to cross the 20-crore mark, officials said.
The UP government also has plans to connect the Greenfields Expressway to Vrindavan and the upcoming heritage city along with Yamuna Expressway. The detailed project report (DPR) of this ambitious project was also discussed at a meeting in Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority’s office, which is leading the heritage city project. The heritage city is being developed around 9,350 hectares between Yamuna Expressway and Yamuna river. After the linkage, people from the Heritage City will be directly connected to Vrindavan.
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