Vrindavan Today | Bureau Report
9th August, 2026, Mathura: The religious tourism landscape of Braj is set for a major transformation with the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approving the proposed construction of a multi-purpose tourism centre at Ganthauli village in Govardhan, near the Rajasthan border in Mathura distric
The project is being described as an important step towards providing pilgrims and tourists visiting Braj with modern, high-quality facilities. Ganthauli is the ancestral village of Shrikant Sharma, former Energy Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The proposed centre will come up along the Deeg Road near Ganthauli, on 54.19 acres (21.25 hectares) of land acquired by the Public Works Department (PWD). The land will now be transferred free of cost by the PWD to Awas Vikas, which has been designated by the state government as the executing agency for construction of the tourism centre.
Part of a Larger Border Tourism Initiative
The project traces its origin to an initiative announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath around three and a half years ago, when he directed the development of multi-purpose tourism hubs in 11 districts located along the state’s inter-state borders and the international border with Nepal.
Mathura, situated along the Rajasthan and Haryana borders, was among the districts identified for such a facility.
The government subsequently began looking for suitable land near Ganthauli. The administration identified 21.25 hectares for the proposed centre and initiated the process of purchasing land from farmers.
According to the land acquisition details, the PWD executed sale deeds with 17 farmers for 19.63 hectares, while the district administration executed sale deeds with two farmers for another 1.61 hectares. Thus, sale deeds for the entire 21.25 hectares had been completed, and the PWD submitted the report to the state government in June.
Following this, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the project at its meeting on Tuesday. It was decided that after demarcation, the land acquired by the PWD would be handed over free of cost to Awas Vikas for construction of the multi-purpose centre. Construction will begin after completion of the necessary formalities.
A Township-Like Tourism Facility
The proposed centre is envisioned not merely as a conventional tourist facility but as a township-like development, incorporating a wide range of facilities for pilgrims, tourists, local residents, transport operators and other visitors.
According to the proposed plan, 23 different types of facilities and developments are envisaged at the centre.
These include:
Residential complexes
Trauma centre
Pharmacy
Hospital
Composite school
Farmers’ centre
Bus stand
Tourism facilitation centre
Five hotel plots
Guest house
Truck parking
Service station
Police outpost
Commercial plots
Electric bus stand
Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) And other associated facilities and infrastructure
The development is expected to provide pilgrims and tourists with access to accommodation, healthcare, transport, parking, commercial services and other essential amenities at a single location.
Potential Impact on Braj Tourism
The location of the centre is particularly significant because Govardhan is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Braj, attracting large numbers of devotees throughout the year. Its proximity to the Rajasthan border also gives the project strategic importance in facilitating the movement of tourists and pilgrims entering Braj from neighbouring states.
The government expects the centre to provide high-quality facilities to pilgrims and tourists and contribute significantly to the development of tourism infrastructure in Braj.
Mathura District Magistrate C.P. Singh said that the project would be an important step in the development of tourism in Braj and that the tourism centre would provide high-level facilities to devotees and tourists.
With land acquisition already completed and the Cabinet having given its approval, the proposed multi-purpose tourism centre at Ganthauli is now poised to become a major new tourism infrastructure project in the Govardhan region, potentially changing the way pilgrims and visitors access and experience Braj.
