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New religious circuit covering 7 dists in the works
“This expansive religious area will include the districts of Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, and Bhadohi...” the government said.
Uttar Pradesh is planning a new religious circuit spread across seven districts of the state.
“On the recommendation of NITI Aayog, the Yogi government is set to develop a new religious circuit spanning over 22,000 square kilometres,” said a press statement issued by the state government on Friday.
While India is set to play a key role as countries aim to achieve a global religious tourism target of $2.2 billion over the next five to seven years, UP plans to reap the maximum benefits from the boom in religious tourism.
“This expansive religious area will include the districts of Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, and Bhadohi...” said the press statement.
The project is expected to impact the lives of more than 2.38 crore people. Once realised, this initiative will give a significant boost to religious tourism in the state.
Among the state’s notable sites are Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Maa Vindhyavasini Dham, Kashi, Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan, and Prayagraj.
The development of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has brought a phenomenal boost to tourism in Varanasi and the surrounding areas, with more than 10 crore tourists and devotees visiting in 2023 alone, said the press statement. Currently, Ayodhya witnesses a daily footfall of 1 to 1.5 lakh tourists and devotees—exceeding the number of people visiting other major religious sites in the country.
