Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will
inaugurate the Kashi Vishwanath corridor connecting the ancient Kashi
Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi to the ghats of the Ganga. The corridor, Modi’s pet project, has been built over an area of 5,000 hectares and seeks to not only decongest but also transform the temple complex.

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The push to revamp and redevelop the Kashi
Vishwanath complex is in line with the Prime Minister’s ambitious projects for
temples around the country.

What is the project?

The Rs 800 crore project was launched by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, in
March 2019, with an aim of restoring the “lost glory” of the Hindu religious
shrine. According to officials of the cultural ministry, renovating the Kashi
Vishwanath temple has been Modi’s long-term vision. He wanted to create better
conditions for pilgrims and devotees, who had to endure the infamously congested
streets and surroundings of the temple.

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Despite being a famous shrine, the Kashi
Vishwanath temple lacked direct access to the Ganga, and the new 20-foot-wide
corridor was envisaged to connect Lalita Ghat on the holy river to Mandir Chowk
on the temple premises.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
inaugurate phase 1 of the project, constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crore
on December 13. A total of 23 buildings will be inaugurated, including a
Tourist Facilitation Centre, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, City Museum, Viewing
Gallery and Food Court. However, it may take a few more weeks before phase 1
projects are ready to be opened for the public.

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Renovation will boost tourism

The renovation of the infrastructure is
expected to give a boost to tourism in Varanasi as well as in the region,
including the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Sarnath. The Rudraksh Convention
Centre is capable of hosting 1,200 people and has divisible meeting rooms, an
art gallery, and multipurpose pre-function areas.

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Road infrastructure has also been upgraded and
the Banaras railway station in the city’s Manduadih area has been revamped with
the addition of an air-conditioned waiting lounge. LED screens have also been
installed where information will be displayed for tourists, including the history,
architecture, and art of Kashi. The famous Ganga Aarti and the aarti at the
Kashi Vishwanath temple will be shown on screens throughout the city.