Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in Mathura that there will be dialogue with all affected parties of the Sri Banke Bihari Temple Corridor and no one would be displaced.
To be built over five acres at a cost of Rs 262 crore, there is already opposition to the corridor as the spectre of displacement – as it happened in Kashi and Ayodhya – has been worrying those whose homes and shops will be affected. One criticism of these developments has been that they cater only to tourists and not to locals.
However, in Mathura, on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janmasthami, Adityanath said that there would be a concrete action plan for rehabilitation.
In 2022, after a stampede on the occasion of Janmasthami left two people dead, there has been a renewed push for the corridor. The temple, at present, can be approached only through very narrow lanes.
Adityanath said that the safety of both locals and tourists/pilgrims should be important. The entire municipal corporation area will be developed as a 'safe city' as soon as possible. He instructed that an effective Integrated Traffic Management System be set up, the number of CCTV cameras increased and there be constant presence of police at sensitive and crowded places.
Underscoring the state’s emphasis on religious tourism, CM said that Ayodhya, Mathura-Vrindavan, Kashi and Prayagraj saw a massive increase in footfall in the last seven years. This footfall was boosting local economies and hence ‘excellent’ services needed to be provided to tourists.
One of the ways to make the area cleaner was through mohalla committees, the CM suggested. He has also directed deployment of additional manpower for cleanliness in the Mathura-Vrindavan area and to make better efforts on the lines of Prayagraj Kumbh for garbage management. Other instructions include the use of solar panels for street lights, the creation of vending zones, piped drinking water arrangement and increased parking space.
On Sunday, the CM flagged off a ropeway project in Barsana. Thus, devotees will no longer need to climb 251 steps to reach the Ladli Kishori Radha Rani temple on the Brahmachal mountain. To be built on a PPP model, the project will cost Rs 15.89 crore.
