After receiving a go-ahead from the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government has set up a trust to manage the affairs of the Banke Bihari temple, and also to oversee work on the proposed corridor.
On May 15, the apex court had given the go-ahead for acquiring five acres of land around the temple by using money from offerings made at the temple. The land shall be purchased in the name of the reigning deity.
The proposed corridor, on the lines of the one around the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, will have all public amenities and also ensure the safety of pilgrims who currently have to navigate extremely narrow lanes to access the temple. A tragedy in 2022, in which two people died, gave fresh push to the idea of a corridor which will be able to accommodate 10,000 people at the same time.
The trust’s first task will be to oversee temple’s arrangements, worship, and security arrangements on the Teej festival – the first of which falls on July 27 this year.
The newly formed trust will include 18 members, comprising seven ex-officio officials, 11 senior nominated members, and two representatives from the temple’s traditional Goswami community. A CEO will soon be appointed to supervise the trust’s operations and ensure efficient governance.
The corridor will connect Banke Bihari Temple with other major shrines such as Radha Raman and Madan Mohan, facilitating smoother pilgrimage routes under the larger Braj Teerth Vikas plan.
In this plan is proposed a suspension bridge over the Yamuna River, directly in front of the new corridor. This bridge will link the Yamuna Expressway side of Vrindavan to the temple, enabling pilgrims to park across the river and travel via e-rickshaws or small vehicles to the temple precinct.
Several residents of Vrindavan have long opposed the project. Among these are small vendors who ply their goods in the lanes. Greater opposition has come from those who fear that the character of Vrindavan will be lost in the name of development, even though the state’s chief minister has said that dialogue will be the basis of development.
