MP inaugurates Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims’ centre project in Ghaziabad

The demand for the facilities gained momentum after the previous Samajwadi Party government set up a Haj House in the area and in July 2016, the corporation board had cleared a proposal for the land of nearly 10,000 square metres for the development of a pilgrims’ house for ‘Kanwariyas.’

Union minister and Ghaziabad MP General VK Singh on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the proposed ‘Kailash Mansarovar’ pilgrims’ centre.

Besides the pilgrims’ centre, ‘Dashmesh Vatika’, a religious centre for Sikh gurus, is also proposed to come up in the area adjacent to the Hindon on GT Road. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Besides the pilgrims’ centre, ‘Dashmesh Vatika’, a religious centre for Sikh gurus, is also proposed to come up in the area adjacent to the Hindon on GT Road.

The demand for the facilities gained momentum after the previous Samajwadi Party government set up a Haj House in the area and in July 2016, the corporation board had cleared a proposal for the land of nearly 10,000 square metres for the development of a pilgrims’ house for ‘Kanwariyas.’

“During the inauguration of the Haj House, we had requested the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for the development of a (pilgrims’) facility. However, the proposal did not take off. Once the new government assumed office, a team of our MLAs met chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who showed positive interest towards the facility,” Ashu Verma, city mayor, said.

After assuming office, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said that a facility for ‘Kailash Mansarovar’ pilgrims should be developed either in Lucknow, Ghaziabad or Noida. The mayor and five MLAs from Ghaziabad met the CM and apprised him about land availability in Ghaziabad.

Later, principal secretary Avnish Awasthi inspected the site and on May 5, the corporation board, again, cleared a proposal for handing over the land, almost free of cost, to the state culture department for developing the site.

In the function organised for laying the foundation stone, it was also announced that Rs54 crore was allocated for the facility.

“In the meeting with CM Yogi Adityanath on April 24, I had sought his intervention for the development of the facility in Ghaziabad as the land was available. Funds have also been sanctioned for the facility by the state government and we will come up with a wonderful structure here,” the MP said.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar came down heavily on the previous SP and Bahujan Samaj Party governments, who he alleged did not bother to look into the demand for a pilgrims’ facility.

“They only talked about the construction of boundary walls for ‘Kabristan’ and about slaughterhouses. Land mafias and criminals flourished,” the MP said.

“Within two months of the Bharatiya Janata Party coming to power in UP, the demand for the pilgrims’ house was met. The government has cracked down on corruption in development authorities, corporation and even in the electricity department. Encroachments are also being cleared,” said Ajay Sharma, city president, BJP.

The programme organised by the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation was also attended by the district magistrate, senior superintendent of police and city councillors.