A big relief came for the Uttar Pradesh government when the Allahabad High Court approved the plan of the Yogi Adityanath government to enhance infrastructure in Mathura by building a corridor at the famous Bankey Bihari Temple for the convenience of devotees.
According to the court, no further obstructions or encroachments should be allowed on the approach roads to the temple.
During the redevelopment of the temple and the area surrounding it, the Shri Bankey Bihari Temple at Vrindavan will receive a corridor.
With a total expenditure of Rs 262 crore, Banke Bihari Corridor will be a historic project.
Anand Sharma and another person from Mathura filed the PIL before a bench of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava.
UP government will purchase 5 acres of land around the temple
It was notified to the court that the state government intends to purchase about five acres of land around the temple to facilitate darshan and puja by devotees.
How does the Bankey Bihari temple corridor project work?
In accordance with the scheme, Goswamis (priests) will not be impeded in any way during worship and other rituals. Aside from facilitating darshan and puja by devotees, the UP government also plans to provide parking facilities at the temple premises.Government will bear the cost
How did the court rule?
After hearing the parties concerned, the high court said, “The state government is required to implement the plans and schemes submitted to this court, which the court deems appropriate and necessary for justice’s sake.” For the implementation of the scheme, we leave it up to the state government to decide which steps are appropriate after consulting with the technical experts in the field.”
Statement of the court regarding encroachment around the temple
According to the court, the state government is also free to take appropriate steps for removing the encroachment over the approach roads (galis) to the temple.
According to the court, no further obstructions or encroachments should be allowed on the approach roads to the temple.
As for devotees experiencing difficulties during the development of the corridor, the bench noted, “We make it clear that darshan of the devotees shall not be hampered in any manner, except during the implementation of the scheme, during which appropriate alternative arrangements will be made.” It is the responsibility of the present management and all stakeholders to ensure that the darshan of devotees is not restricted in any way.”
It is also directed to ensure strict compliance with the above directions, and any violations will be reported.
As a result of the large gathering of devotees, there are law and order problems, and numerous FIRs have been filed for theft, looting, and property loss.
In the petition, devotees were also mentioned as having died as a result of the huge gathering. According to the petitioner, the local administration, which has a duty to manage the gathering and ensure proper walking corridors to the temple, has failed in its obligation. The PIL stated that despite numerous mishaps, no action was taken by the state government or district administration.
Why we need a Corridor in Bankey Bihari Temple?
One of the most popular temples in North India is the Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. There are devotees coming from all over the country, which is why the corridor needs to be built.
Last year, two people were crushed to death in the temple during Janmashtami celebrations. There is a huge crowd at the Bankey Bihari temple these days.
To build the corridor, the Allahabad High Court has assigned a five-acre plot of land by the Yamuna river. This includes 325 properties, shops, and houses. According to state cabinet minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, the zone surrounding Banke Bihari temple will be transformed similarly to the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi. The corridor is expected to have a capacity of over 50,000 devotees at once, allowing them to conveniently access the temple after bathing in the Yamuna.
Advantages of Bankey Bihari Corridor
In 2022, religious tourism destinations will earn 1,34,543 crore, an increase from 65,070 crore in 2021, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Consequently, the Banke Bihari Temple Corridor would not only ease the process of darshan, but also attract more pilgrims to this otherwise dull town whose main business is temples.
The corridor will benefit everyone from a tourism perspective, as tourism will rise, and with rising tourism, local vendors will also benefit.
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