Pilgrim corridors will play major role in BJP's 2024 campaign

ECONOMIC BOOST

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Telling the voters about the pilgrim corridors across the country that have transformed the economic and social status of the regions where they are situated, is going to be one of the primary political planks of the BJP for the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Narendra Modi government has developed and inaugurated several such corridors after returning to power in May 2019. Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Mahakal Corridor devoted to Lord Shiva's temple, the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple (one of the 12 Jyotirlingas) in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh in central India. The first phase of the Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project worth Rs 856 crore, which was inaugurated by the PM, will become one of the largest religious corridors in the country. More than 900 metres of the project spread around the old Rudrasagar Lake, which is being redeveloped as part of the Mahakal river project.

The newly revamped "Mahakal Lok" as it has been named, will consist of a walkway of 108 ornate pillars which will be made of carved sandstones that will be separated by fountains and mural paintings. As many as 50 mural paintings are being created on a running panel in the corridor to depict the stories of Lord Shiva from "Shiv Purana" to the visitors.

Once the corridor is ready, it will attract a large number of devotees to Ujjain and make the city a global tourist destination. Investors have started investing in multiple projects in the city including in developing destination wedding resorts and luxurious hotels in view of the projected rush of international and domestic visitors, who are expected to arrive in large numbers once the corridor takes shape and its grandeur becomes public. Ujjain is also a site of the mega religious congregation, Simhasth (Kumbh) which occurs every 12 years.