Kashi Vishwanath project to be completed by June end

Varanasi, June 9 (IANS) The Kashi Vishwanath Dham (KVD) project, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project, will be nearing its completion by the month's end.

The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board (SKSADB) has already taken over 10 of 23 buildings constructed in the initial phase of the project in KV Dham while the process for acquiring the remaining buildings is in progress.

SKVSADB chairman and divisional commissioner Deepak Agrawal said: "Only 3 per cent construction work, mainly in the ramp building, Ganga view-point and security building which are near the Ganga Dwar, is yet to be completed. It would be completed in a week after which the finishing work also end in about two weeks. With this, the KV Dham project would be finally completed by June-end.

"A total of 23 buildings have been constructed in the KV Dham shrine area. Most of these buildings were constructed in phase-I of the project before Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally opened KV Dham on December 13. PWD, the agency tasked with the execution of the project, has already started the process of taking over these buildings from the company engaged for construction work. The PWD has also started handing over the buildings to SKVSADB."

So far, the PWD has handed over 10 buildings to SKVSADB while technical and other formalities of handing over 13 other buildings are also in progress.

Started with Rs 600 crore by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in December 2017, the KV Dham project got a boost when Prime Minister Modi laid its foundation on March 8, 2019.

With the completion of the work of phase-I, Modi had opened the KV Dham formally on December 13.

Two days after the grand opening ceremony, the SKVSADB had started the construction work of phase-II.

SKVSADB officials said that the major construction work of phase-II had taken place at Manikarnika, Jalasen and Lalita ghats, where the entry route of KVD from the river bank, named as Ganga Dwar, was opened following construction in February.

Apart from the Ganga Dwar at Jalasen Ghat, ghat steps, Ganga gallery with a cafeteria with Ganga Dwar, a building with viewing gallery, ramp for physically challenged and elderly pilgrims, a boundary wall and block of four buildings have been constructed in the phase-II in the project that now costs Rs 900 crore.