Vrindavan Today | Bureau Report:
23rd May, 2026, Vrindavan: Although the proposed corridor project for Shri Banke Bihari Temple has received approval from both the Uttar Pradesh government and the Supreme Court of India, the path toward its execution remains far from smooth. The slow pace of property registrations within the proposed corridor zone has emerged as a major obstacle.
The ambitious corridor project covers approximately 4.74 acres around the historic temple, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in India. According to official estimates, around 273 buildings fall within the proposed acquisition area. However, despite continuous efforts by the administration over the last ten months, only 14 property registrations have been completed so far. In total, the authorities have managed to acquire merely 1,386 square meters of land.
To encourage residents and shopkeepers to cooperate, the administration and the High-Powered Management Committee have introduced a “first come, first served” rehabilitation policy. Under this arrangement, affected families are being promised flats in Rukmini Vihar in exchange for residential properties, while shop owners are being assured commercial spaces within the future corridor complex. Yet, these assurances have not significantly accelerated the registration process.
The proposal for the corridor was first placed before the Allahabad High Court in 2022 following severe overcrowding during the Shri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, when two devotees reportedly lost their lives in the temple rush. On November 20, 2023, the Allahabad High Court approved the corridor plan. The decision was challenged by temple servitors (sevayats), who later approached the Supreme Court.
On May 15, 2025, the Supreme Court granted permission for the corridor project to proceed. Subsequently, on August 8, 2025, the apex court constituted a High-Powered Management Committee under the chairmanship of retired Justice Ashok Kumar to oversee temple management and land acquisition for the corridor.
Speaking on the matter, retired Justice Ashok Kumar stated that the corridor is a large-scale public project that would greatly benefit pilgrims from across India and abroad. He appealed to residents whose properties fall within the project area to consider contributing their buildings in the service of Lord Banke Bihari.
Despite official backing, opposition to the project continues among local residents and sections of the temple servitor community. Women members of sevayat families have also staged protests against the proposed redevelopment. Amid this resistance, one notable development came on January 16, when Yati Goswami, a woman from the Radha Vallabh Temple servitor family, voluntarily offered her property for the project. Nevertheless, only a handful of property owners have followed suit.
Authorities believe that once completed, the corridor will significantly improve crowd management around the temple and enable nearly 10,000 devotees to gather safely within the temple precincts at one time.
