Shah lauds Yogi for development of religious places

Lucknow: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday laid the foundation for the Vindhyachal Corridor project and congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for ensuring all round development of the places of religious significance.

"Previous governments did not show any interest in developing these places because they were concerned about vote bank politics. Yogi Adityanath went ahead and ensured development of all religious places, including Ayodhya, Chitrakoot Dham, Kashi Vishwanath Dham and other places. During the Kumbh, the Yogi government made the best possible arrangements. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has revived religious tradition and glory," Shah said.

Shah said Uttar Pradesh should get the credit for ensuring the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre with full majority in 2014 followed by 2019.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a Member of Parliament from Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) and he understands what the state needs and what it must get. After centuries, people will finally see a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya," he added.

He said it was the BJP that announced reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in medical courses while other parties used them only as a vote bank.

Shah sought people's blessings for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, adding that Yogi Adityanath has already fulfilled the promises made in the party manifesto and is now working towards making Uttar Pradesh a one trillion dollar economy.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Rs 150 crore Vindhyachal Corridor project will be started immediately since removal of identified 92 buildings, which were surrounding the Vindhyachal temple, has already been done after their purchase.

The project will result in creation of space for a 50-ft-wide Parikrama (circumambulation) route while visitors will get a full view of the holy shrine, known as one of Shaktipeeths.

The roads leading to the temple are also being widened as a part of the project.

Improvement of basic infrastructure and introducing modern facilities, including parking zones, guest houses, shopping complexes, retiring rooms for pilgrims, are also being proposed.

The first ropeway of east Uttar Pradesh for thousands of pilgrims who flock Ashtabhuja and Kali Khoh Hills of holy 'Trikon' (triangle) of Vindhyachal was also inaugurated on Sunday.

The ropeway, which will be first in east Uttar Pradesh, will be started in two phases as the only one ropeway line connecting Kali Khoh and Ashtabhuja project is in the finishing stage.

The second line from Ashtabhuja to the terminal (parking site) is still under construction and expected to be completed by December end.