EXPLAINED: Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
NewsBharati 13-Dec-2021
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the first phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, which will connect two iconic landmarks - Kashi Vishwanath temple and Ganga ghats, in his constituency, Varanasi.
What is Kashi Vishwanath Corridor?
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project was announced in March 2018. PM Modi accompanied by Governor Ram Naik and CM Yogi Adityanath laid the foundation stone for an extension and beautification project of the Temple area on 8 March 2019. (Video of the project).
Who is constructing the Corridor?
The project is being personally supervised by PM Modi and funded by the UP government.
HCP Design, Planning, and Management Private Limited is constructing the corridor. The firm has submitted the detailed project report (DPR) of ₹750 crores which earmarked ₹460 crores exclusively for the construction work, ₹290 crores has been spent on purchasing buildings in the project area.
What are the salient features?
The project is being constructed on an area of 525,000 square feet or 12 acres. As part of the project, 27 new buildings will be constructed including Temple Chowk, Varanasi city gallery, museum, multi-purpose auditorium, hall, devotee facilitation center, public convenience, salvation home, Godowlia gate, Bhogshala, shelter for priests and sevadars, spiritual book space, and another number of facilities for devotees.
A 20-meter wide pathway will be constructed from the river Ganga to the Temple.
For further details, listen to the lecture of Dr. Bimal Patel, Director of HCP Design, Planning, and Management Private Limited on the project.
Who is supervising the Corridor project?
The Project is under the supervision of the Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board. The Board was formed by an Act through an official gazette issued by the UP government. It received the assent of the Governor of Uttar Pradesh on 1 September 2018 and was published in the U.P. Gazette, Extraordinary Part I, section (K), dated 1 September 2018.
An Act to provide for the establishment of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board to create, formulate, implement, regulate and maintain the Special Area under its jurisdiction for developing and maintaining the cultural, spiritual, mythological, and architectural aesthetics in such area to promote tourism in consonance with the rich cultural heritage thereof.
Major functions of the Board: (1) To prepare a plan for the Special Development Area; (2) To prepare a plan for rehabilitation, as may be required; and (3) To conserve the heritage that falls under its jurisdiction.
Is there any of the razed homes (land required for the project) belonging to members of the Muslim religion?
No, not even a single house demolished belonged to the Muslim religion. The website of the Board contains a list of the properties purchased for the purpose of demolition. The list includes 256 names and all are Hindus.
The Board’s website contains another list – an index of all the shopkeepers who have been compensated containing few Muslims but most of them are Hindus.
As part of the project, two separate compensations have been provided. First, to the owners of the houses/shops purchased for demolition, and second, to the shopkeepers who did not own the shops but have been working at the shops for years. The second form of compensation isn’t a payment for demolition but for loss of livelihood.
Is there any protest against the Corridor?
In 2018, a Facebook Live by the Sankaracharya designate of the Jyotish peeth, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati accused the UP government under Yogi Adityanath of destroying heritage buildings, shrines, and ancient murtis in the name of development.
In addition to the live Facebook address, there is also a letter that has been purportedly written by the Sankaracharya designate addressed to the CM Yogi Adityanath where he outlines several key concerns, including:
- Demolition of Pauranic/historical shrines and Murtis of cultural and historical significance and antiquity;
- Disregard for the historical and cultural contexts of the heritage sites;
- Destruction of Ganesh murtis/shrines (Moda-Vinayak and Pramoda-Vinayak), which find mention in the Skanda Purana;
- Forceful takeover of the historic Vyas-peeth and Mandana Mishra Sthan.
- The complete disregard for the sentiments of the people of Kashi and “saha-sanatanis” (Fellow-Hindus)
- He has also made it clear in the speeches that he holds PM Modi equally responsible for the decision to build this corridor which could end up destroying a part of the cultural heritage of Kashi, going even as far as to declare that the PM, CM, and BJP are not Hindus.
There have also been protests by the Dharohar Bachao Samithi-Kashi who have led protest marches and all the shopkeepers lining the narrow street leading up to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple have even observed one-day bandh protesting the demolition and urging the government to desist from moving forward with the planned corridor.
Sankaracharya Shri Swaroopanand Saraswati has also written to PM Modi and has stated that the corridor is a disaster in the making. He has further stated that instead of cleaning up Mother Ganga, the government by planning to build this corridor is bent on destroying the very fountainhead of Kashi’s culture and heritage.
What will happen with the temples discovered during the construction?
This article was originally published here