Possible Funding for Banke Bihari Corridor May Originate from Temple, Yet...
GOING, GOING, GONE: The Uttar Pradesh government is getting ready to buy 5 acres of land near Vrindavan's iconic Banke Bihari Temple, all thanks to the incredible nod from the Supreme Court! But don't worry, the cheeky deity won’t be left penniless – the temple's fixed deposit funds will foot the bill.
At a recent hearing, a bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma gave the green light to the state government's whopping Rs 500 crore development plan for the corridor, essentially thumbing their nose at the Allahabad High Court's decision that barred the use of temple funds near the temple.
The judges were all like, "Go for it, the state! The Banke Bihari Ji Trust has some serious cash sitting in the temple's fixed deposits. We believe it's reasonable to use that dough to purchase the proposed land." But they weren't done yet, adding, "Just make sure that the land bought for temple and corridor development is in the deity's/trust's name."
Why'd they do that you ask? Well, the court's decision comes after the 2022 stampede at the Banke Bihari Temple showed the urgent need to upgrade the area's infrastructure. The proposed corridor, inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor project in Varanasi, aims to make things safer and sans cubby-hole space for the massive number of pilgrims visiting the temple.
The government's proposed plans, however, have stirred up a whole lot of controversy. For over two years, locals have been protesting, claiming that the current 300 temples and residential buildings in the area will have to get the axe. These buildings have been home sweet home for hundreds of years!
To justify the destruction, the government claims that the corridor will streamline the movement of devotees, making things less congested and more tourist-friendly. People are hoping that the improved infrastructure will draw in even more pilgrims, serving up a sweet boost to the local economy. hey-ho let's demolish some buildings, shall we?
Multiple surveys, ordered by both courts and gove’s officials, have been conducted in the area. Rumor has it that this project is going to be a game changer, offering enhanced infrastructure, parking lots, accommodations, and security for the devout visitors swarming the temple each year.
The Supreme Court's decision to utilize the Banke Bihari Temple's fixed deposit funds from the finance industry is aimed at buying land for the proposed corridor development, following the court's approval of the Uttar Pradesh government's Rs 500 crore plan. The anticipated corridor, reminiscent of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor project in Varanasi, is expected to improve infrastructure and attract more pilgrims, potentially boosting the local industry.
