E-Paper
Hurdles cleared, Bade Hanuman temple corridor construction starts July 30
As per the new terms, a board will now be formed for the maintenance of the corridor, which will also include a representative of the temple management.
PRAYAGRAJ: The disagreement over the construction of the Bade Hanuman temple corridor between the temple management and government departments has been settled.
The Prayagraj Mela Authority and Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) have removed the part of the ‘garbhagriha’ (Sanctum Sanctorum) from the corridor proposal, as demanded by the temple management, paving the way for the temple area to be separate from the corridor.
As per the new terms, a board will now be formed for the maintenance of the corridor, which will also include a representative of the temple management. With the dispute settled, the construction of the corridor is now expected to kick-start from July 30.
For the maintenance of the Hanuman Mandir Corridor, the PDA proposed taking a share of the temple’s income, which was opposed by the temple authority. On July 20, chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited the district and was informed of the issue by the head of the temple, Mahant Balbir Giri. The CM then instructed the officials to prepare a fresh proposal after holding talks with the temple officials.
In the new proposal by the PDA Board, any mention of the temple’s Sanctum Sanctorum has been omitted. The Prayagraj Mela Authority clarified that the temple will not be a part of the corridor.
The proposal will now be sent to the state government for final approval. Once a representative of the temple management is nominated as a member of the proposed corridor management board, Mahant Balbir Giri has agreed to extend full cooperation in the temple corridor project.
“The administration has agreed to address all the key concerns we had about the proposed corridor. They will not interfere with the temple and a member from the temple will be included in the board set up for the corridor. The temple will provide full support to the project. If the administration opens shops there and allocates them to us, financial support will also be provided,” said Mahant Balbir Giri, the head of the Bade Hanuman Mandir.
Mahakumbh mela adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand said, “A board will be formed for the Bade Hanuman temple corridor, and a person nominated by the temple will be a member of it. Whether there will be shops or something else will be decided by the government. The board will also be formed by the government. We never asked for support from the temple’s income. We have also removed the term ‘temple sanctum sanctorum’ from the proposal.”
The cost of the Hanuman Temple corridor is approximately ₹38.18 crore. With the dispute resolved, construction will commence on Tuesday. Prayers will be performed at 9 am in the presence of Mahant Balbir Giri, after which the implementing agency will begin work. The project will include the development of 10 entry and exit gates, a green belt, toilets, lighting, and selfie points. Additionally, around 2.76 acres of land has been acquired from the army for the corridor, and in exchange, the PDA will provide 4.5 acres of land to the army at a different location.
