Amit Shah to lay foundation of Rs 150 crore Vindhyachal Corridor project in Uttar Pradesh

Shah will also inaugurate a ropeway that will cost Rs 16 crore in Vindhyachal. He will be accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur on Sunday (August 1) where he will lay the foundation stone of Rs 150 crore Vindhyachal Corridor Project (VCP).

Shah will also inaugurate a ropeway that will cost Rs 16 crore in Vindhyachal.

The minister will be accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Vindhyachal Corridor project is being built on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor project of Varanasi.

Shah is expected to reach Devri airport in the afternoon after which he, along with the  CM, will head to Vindhyachal temple for ‘bhumi pujan’.

“The Union Home Minister and Chief Minister will land at Devri airport around 2.40 p.m. From the helipad, they will go to Vindhyachal temple. After offering prayers at the temple, they will perform the rituals of `bhumi pujan`. They will then reach the Government Inter College ground to address a public meeting following inauguration of the ropeway for Vindhya circle and laying of foundation stone of other projects,” Divisional Commissioner Mirzapur, Yogeshwar Ram Mishra was quoted as saying by IANS.

Mishra added that the project will be started immediately after the ‘bhumi pujan’ as removal of identified 92 buildings surrounding the temple, has already been done after their purchase.

Under the project, a 50-ft-wide Parikrama (circumambulation) route will be created to allow the visitors to get a full view of the holy shrine, known as one of Shaktipeeths.

The roads leading to the temple are also being widened as a part of the project. In addition to this, improvement of basic infrastructure and introducing modern facilities, including parking zones, guest houses, shopping complexes, retiring rooms for pilgrims, will also be undertaken.

Shah and Yogi will inaugurate the ropeway for thousands of pilgrims who flock Ashtabhuja and Kali Khoh hills of holy Trikon of Vindhyachal. The ropeway, which will be first in east UP, will be started in two phases as the only one ropeway line connecting Kali Khoh and Ashtabhuja project is in finishing state.

The second line from Ashtabhuja to the terminal (parking site) is still under construction and expected to be completed by December end.

UP tourism joint director (Varanasi) Avinash Mishra said, "Under Rs 16 crore ropeway project, a 199-metre first line ropeway linking Kali Khoh and Ashtabhuja and other the 102-metre second line, which will take visitors from Ashtabhuja hill to terminal (parking point), has been created. Being initiated on a public private partnership (PPP) model, this project will enable visitors to enjoy the beauty of the forest area between two hills from the height of over 260 metres."

The Union Home Minister is also expected to visit former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh who is hospitalised in Lucknow.

Before proceeding to Mirzapur, the Union Home Minister will also lay the foundation of the state`s first-of-its-kind forensic institute in Lucknow on Sunday.