With 'Shivarchan', PM Narendra Modi to open Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor project today

LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor amid the chanting of 'Shivarchan' at sanctum sanctorum of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the presence of 3000 religious, spiritual gurus, priests of southern Shaivism sects and other dignitaries, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several other chief ministers of the BJP-governed states, on Monday.
"Tomorrow, 13th December is a landmark day. At a special programme in Kashi, the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham project will be inaugurated.
This will add to Kashi's spiritual vibrancy. I would urge you all to join tomorrow's programme," the PM tweeted on the eve of the launch.
The Rs 900-crore project which has a 400-meter long and 75-meter wide corridor will connect the Kashi Vishwanath temple with three main ghats of the Ganga.
The stretch has 24 newly constructed buildings to provide top-class amenities to pilgrims. The PM is inaugurating the first phase of the project.
'Corridor paves way for devpt of entire Purvanchal region'
An outcome of the PM's vision for Kashi, the corridor facilitates hassle-free movement of pilgrims between Ganga and the temple and paves way for development of not only Varanasi, but the entire Purvanchal region, enhancing tourism and trade and creating employment opportunities for youth from the region," said a Kashi Vishwanath Temple official.
"Prior to the construction of this corridor, the KV temple lacked direct access from the Ganga and devotees had to negotiate through congested lanes to reach the temple. The corridor gives Kashi a new identity of a smart city while retaining its ancient cultural and spiritual heritage."
"To host the PM and other dignitaries for the opening of KVD corridor, all necessary preparations including floral decoration of the temple, Mandir Chowk as well as the 400-meter corridor area from Lalita Ghat to temple has been completed," divisional commissioner and chairman of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board, Deepak Agrawal, told TOI.
CM Yogi has reached Varanasi to oversee preparations for the mega event. All the ghats would be lit with diyas for the next three days while citizens will illuminate their houses to give city a festive look. Regarding the rituals to be performed by the PM, KVT chief priest Pt Shrikant Mishra said, "After reaching Lalita Ghat by boat, the PM will fetch Ganga Jal and move towards KVT on foot. PM will directly reach KVT's sanctum sanctorum where amid chanting of Vedic Mantra by three priests, he will perform the rituals of Shivarchan to mark the opening of KVD."
From the KVT, the PM will reach Mandir Chowk amid blowing of conch shells and sounds of 'damru' to address the gathering of seers from different parts of country, including akharas, Adheenam Sect of Tamil Nadu, Lingayats and Veershaiva, religious and spiritual gurus. Board's secretary and KVT chief executive officer Sunil Verma said seating arrangements for guests had been made at Mandir Chowk. The testing of facade and other lighting arrangements in and around KVD had started three-days ago. The PM is inaugurating the first phase of KVD two years and eight months after he laid the foundation on March 8, 2019. In the second phase, 27 big and over 120 small temples found during the encroachment-removal drive would be restored.