Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor, Varanasi: This is how PM Narendra Modi’s dream project is changing the ancient city

Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: PM Narendra Modi’s dream project, the corridor is going to change Varanasi. One of the most ancient living cities on Earth and the epicentre of Hindu religion and mythology, Kashi is undergoing makeover thanks to its ‘local’ BJP Member of Parliament Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.

PM Modi inaugurated the project on March 8. The 50-feet-wide Kashi Vishwanath Corridor will connect the ancient shrine and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temple to the famous ghats of Varanasi. The main temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, which is located on the left bank of the holy river Ganga is surrounded by narrow and small, claustrophobic lanes. The prime place of worship in the city, and perhaps the country, struggles to manage humongous crowds in its congested lanes during festive times, which is literally round the year. Roughly 3,000 – 5,000 people visit the temple every day and on special occasions like Mahashivratri and Shravan month it reaches over 1 to 3 lakh.

Once completed, the corridor will ease the congestion and provide the pilgrims and travellers other amenities such as wider and cleaner roads and lanes, better lighting with bright street lights, and clean drinking water.

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PM Modi shared the grand vision of Kashi

Here are the salient features of the 25,000 square meter Kashi Vishwanath Corridor:

– An approximately over 50-feet corridor will directly connect Ganga’s Manikarnika and Lalita Ghat to the Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Temple

– The riverfront will upgrade ghats on Ganga river

– The corridor will have waiting rooms for the pilgrims to rest

– On the way, pilgrims and travellers will see newly built museum and auditorium depicting Varanasi’s ancient history and culture

– There will be new Yagyashalas for religious functions like havan and yagya

– The Kashi Vishwanath corridor will reportedly have lodgings for priests, volunteers and pilgrims

– The enquiry centre at the corridor will help the tourists about the city and its other places of attractions and amenities

– Just before the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the corridor will culminate in a big, majestic square

– Food street which will serve tourists and pilgrims luscious Banarasi and Awadhi dishes

– A new Bhogshala will be constructed for offerings to the presiding deity

– For gatherings, meetings and temple functions, an auditorium will be constructed which will facilitate these events

It is after 1780 AD that the city is going through any transformation. Then, Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore renovated the temple and the area surrounding it. in 1853, Sikh King Ranjit Singh gifted gold plating to the temple. Now under PM Modi, the city is going through a modern wave of transformation in the form of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

The total cost of this project is pegged at Rs 600 crore according to media reports. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP manifesto for Varanasi promised to change the face of this ancient city. Since then, PM Modi has visited here 19 times oversee work done in the city.