The corridor will be linked to upcoming development projects and highways to give an overall boost to tourism in Braj-Vrindavan
2023.01.13 (Vrindavan Today News): The Banke Bihari Corridor will be a grand and divine experience for devotees coming to Vrindavan. It will be a combination of traditions and modern facilities where the core area of the temple will remain undisturbed, and will be maintained as such while broadening and developing the access roads and surrounding area.
When Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath conceptualized the Corridor, he gave strict directions that the temple core structure, and beliefs and traditions should not be violated in any way. The Corridor should be designed to allow the continuation of traditions and heritage, alongside the development of tourism. The directives have been adhered to while planning and designing the project.
Right now the main problem is that the temple has no space for accommodating the large number of devotees who come for darshans. People crowd in the space outside the temple and the narrow lanes, refusing to budge from their positions should they miss the opportunity to go inside. This leads to commotion, crowding, and jostling at the scene. Sometimes, even after the police use barriers, people push each other and find their way ahead.
The corridor will put an end to these problems with huge open and covered spaces outside the temple where devotees can wait, and enjoy the fountain and gardens until darshan opens.The covered area will be made with red sandstone which has been used in majority temples of Vrindavan. The material and architecture – the kind of walls and domes- will be of a style that will blend with the surroundings.
GREEN SPACES
The garden and Corridor will be beautified with trees that are traditional and native to the area. These will include trees like Parijat, Kadamb, Bargad, and Peepal and others from the Krishna or Dwapar Yuga. The dense shade of these trees will give visitors an experience of calm and divinity. Many smaller gardens and spaces will also be developed.
People will be able to wait in this space, right in front of the temple. This will allow them to easily know when the doors/darshans will open and close. At present, there is not enough space for people to wait. People crowd in the narrow lanes and jostle their way ahead, which creates panic and confusion leading to unfortunate incidents.
OVERALL PLAN AND MORE FACILITIES
In addition to getting quick and convenient darshans, devotees will also get access to several other facilities. A parikrama will also be developed around the temple in 900 sq mtr area.
The Corridor will give access to the temple via three routes. The main route coming from the Yamuna will be 2100 sq mtr in area. Going ahead it will get bifurcated into two passages – one lower and the other 3.5 mtr higher than it. A ramp will be constructed on the upper passage . Both passage ways will have facilities like shoe stand, luggage stand, drinking water, toilets, baby care. Dispensary, VIP rooms, electricity works, and waiting rooms. The waiting rooms or guest houses will be spread in an area of 5300 sq mtr.
The lower passage will be bigger than the upper one. Their dimensions will be 5000 sq mtr and 650 sq mtr, respectively. Each will have its own dispensary and medical and other facilities.
800 sq mtr area has been allotted to Puja shops in the lower zone of the Corridor. Devotees will be able to buy puja items and other offerings over here. Shops that will be demolished for the project will be reconstructed in this space so that the livelihoods of the people affected remain safe. The shops will be of the same size and design. The number of shops has not been decided yet.
Dimensions of facilities (sq mtr) in both lower and upper zones
- Open area 5113 and 650
- Shoe stand 250 and 200
- Parikrama 900
- Luggage stand 100 and 100
- Toilets and drinking water 300 and 50
- Baby care 30 and 30
- Dispensary 90 and 80
- VIP rooms 80 and 250
- Electricity work 100 and 100
- Puja shops 800
APPROACH MADE EASY
Vrindavan’s notorious traffic is a nagging problem for devotees coming to Banke Bihari Temple. The Corridor will provide a solution for the same. Accessing the temple on two and four-wheelers and on foot will now be easier and quicker for devotees with the development of novel parking and approach facilities.
Three parkings facilities will be developed in Vrindavan to connect to the Corridor. Of these the Banke Bihari Bridge parking that will come up in a area of 37000 sq mtr on the other side of the Yamuna will be part of Corridor project. It will have a capacity of 1550 vehicles. Visitors coming from Yamuna Expressway will be able to use this facility and the one in panigaon to park their vehicles, and come to the shrine directly either on foot or e-rickshaws via suspension bridges that will be built in front of the temple (part of the Corridor project) and at Devraha Baba Ghat. The new circuit will allow them to circumvent the heavy traffic altogether.
Furthermore, the 11000 sq mtr area between the Banke Bihari Bridge Parking and the Corridor will be lined with facilities like waiting rooms, rest houses, drinking water, toilets, wi-fi etc. Along with parking facilities, a Tourist Facilitation Centre (TFC) will also be made on the other side of the Yamuna.
The Sunrakh parking will be spread in 26000 sq mtr of which 2600 will be covered. It will accommodate up to 1000 vehicles at a time. From here, the temple can be accessed on foot or via e-rickshaws. However, the decision on whether e-ricks will be allowed near/up to the temple is yet to be taken.
OVERALL BOOST TO TOURISM
The Greenfields Expressway connecting Vrindavan to the upcoming Heritage City along the Yamuna Expressway will be linked to the Banke Bihari Corridor.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) was discussed at a meeting held at the Greater Noida office of YEIDA (Yamuna Express Authority) which is leading the Heritage City project. Officials from Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad (BTVP) were also present.
The 9350 hectare Heritage City is being developed between the Yamuna Expressway and the river Yamuna. It will be linked to Vrindavan via the Greenfields Expressway. The six-lane highway will connect straight up to the Banke Bihari Corridor at the Yamuna suspension bridge. Visitors from the heritage city, Agra and Noida will be able to use this route for direct access to the temple.
The plan to further connect the Greenfields Expressway leading to the Corridor to the proposed Ring Road joining the Delhi-Agra National Highway to Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Govardhan and Chatikara is also under consideration. This will put the Banke Bihari Corridor right in the centre of the Expressway and the national highway circuit. Further the NH108 or the Braj 84 Kos Parikrama Highway being developed by the NHAI will also be linked to the expressway.
All these upcoming projects will connect to the Corridor thus giving an overall boost to tourism in Braj, and establishing it as a major national and international pilgrimage destination.
