Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday witnessed the inauguration of a slew of flagship development projects valued at Rs 5,500 crore by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The string of initiatives are to boost the city’s spiritual tourism infrastructure along with the connectivity in it particularly for much-anticipated Mahakumbh 2025. These projects are expected to lay the groundwork for that event while providing long-term benefits to the local community and the pilgrims.
Key Projects for Developing Prayagraj
Several major development projects were initiated, and all such projects were intended to be of the upgrade type in terms of infrastructural development to further strengthen spiritual tourism in the state.
1. Development of Railway and Road Network
It will improvise transport infrastructures in Prayagraj. Some of the major initiatives:
10 New Road Over Bridges and Flyovers: These will help decrease the extent of traffic congestion while offering easier routes for pilgrims and tourists
Permanent Ghats and Riverfront Roads: Properly maintained and beautiful ghats and roads along the riverfront will enable beautification of the city and at the same time make the city accessible, with better facilities to devotees coming to the sacred Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
2. Swachh and Nirmal Ganga Project
At a time when the Centre had declared its cleanliness goals, one major environmental initiative was launched to ensure that the “holy” Ganga did not suffer at the hands of uncleanness. The initiative includes:
Wastewater Management: Minor drains will be intercepted, tapped, diverted, and treated so that untreated water does not flow out into Ganga, thereby keeping the river clean for future generations.
Infrastructure Up-gradation: The work involves up-gradation of water supply and electricity infrastructures in the city to ensure a good supply for locals and visitors during Mahakumbh.
3. Temple Corridor Developments
Temple Corridor Development : Temple corridor development has been considered with an aim of making spiritual tourism attractions and pilgrimage experience better.
These corridors are: Bharadwaj Ashram Corridor, Shringverpur Dham Corridor, Akshayvat Corridor and Hanuman Mandir Corridor.
All of these corridors will be established with the intention of easy accessibility for devotees to the key religious locations and to enhance a pilgrimage experience better.
4. Spiritual Tourism Focus
Prayagraj has been a hub of spiritual tourism, especially due to Kumbh Mela, which brings millions of devotees together every couple of years. For furthering this industry, the following initiatives have been undertaken:
5. The Kumbh Sahayak Chatbot
Even more innovative, in this case, is the Kumbh Sahayak chatbot. It is AI-based, supporting pilgrims during their visit. This tool speaks 11 Indian languages, helping visitors navigate the city easily, access important information about religious practices, and events.
Development of the Hanuman Corridor and Akshayvat Corridor
Two developments that would fundamentally alter the religious face of Prayagraj are the Hanuman Corridor and the Akshayvat Corridor. They improve access to the state’s prominent temples and are also well poised to facilitate the spiritual tourism sector by making pilgrims’ visitation more comfortable and safe.
Saraswati Koop Redevelopment
A redevelopment plan for the Saraswati Koop, an important spiritual site, has already been proposed to upgrade general pilgrimage through enhanced infrastructure and access.
6. Preparations for Mahakumbh 2025
The Mahakumbh Mela is a religious extravaganza that attracts millions of visitors worldwide. The preparations for the 2025 event have already started as numerous measures are being undertaken.
Cleanliness and Sanitation
As many as 15,000 sanitation workers will be employed to ensure that the city does not leave behind trails of filth and soiled walls during Mahakumbh. Such sanitation workers will help keep all the ghats, roads, and public spaces spick and clean.
Pilgrims City Temporarily
A temporary city will be developed at the river banks of Sangam, where millions will be accommodated. This temporary city will work for almost 1.5 months during the event, providing much-needed amenities to users through the supply of food, shelter, and religious services.
Employment Generation and Support from the Locality
Thousands of locals will also be employed in the upcoming Mahakumbh. Retailers, boatmen, assistants to religious ceremonies and vendors are just to name a few who will play important roles in helping the event go smoothly and further strengthening the local economy.
Conclusion
The Rs 5,500 crore development projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are an effort toward transforming Prayagraj into a world-class spiritual destination. Strong emphasis on infrastructure, cleanliness, and spiritual tourism are expected to make Prayagraj the pilgrimage hub coupled with tourism, especially ahead of Mahakumbh 2025. Initiatives do not only assure an increase in regional economy but also ensure that the spirit of Prayagraj remains an enduring symbol of India’s glorious spirituality.
Refer :
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Also read : Maha Kumbh 2025: Railways to Serve Pilgrims with 13,000 Trains and New Infrastructure