A temple town in makeover mode: Ujjain gets another Rs 950 crore push ahead of Simhastha

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav during the foundation stone-laying ceremony of various development projects ahead of Simhastha 2028, in Ujjain on Tuesday. (ANI)

Lending even more impetus to the Madhya Pradesh government’s preparations for Simhastha 2028, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday launched development projects worth nearly Rs 950 crore to deck up the temple town of Ujjain, which is expected to host an estimated 40 crore visitors during the auspicious duodecennial event.

Chief among them is the redevelopment of the Angareshwar Mahadev Mandir in Ujjain, improvement of facilities at 84 Mahadev temples across the city, and the construction of approximately 50km of roads. Together, these, the Ujjain Development Authority said, will strengthen the city’s religious and cultural heritage.

A sum of Rs 83 crores have been set aside for the Mandir’s redevelopment into a more organised religious tourism destination. It will see the expansion of the temple premises, the construction of a dedicated waiting hall, shopping facilities, organised parking and other amenities.

The first phase of improvements at the Mahadev temple sites is estimated to cost about Rs 3.80 crore. It will include flooring, renovation and beautification of walls, necessary repairs, drinking water facilities, sheds and benches for devotees, toilets, lighting arrangements and improved pavements.

Road construction and widening projects account for nearly half of the total budget at Rs 495 crore. An additional Rs 370 crore has been earmarked to compensate farmers whose land will be acquired for the expansion. On Tuesday, Yadav launched the compensation process by distributing Rs 37 crore to 48 farmers.

The improved connectivity is expected to greatly benefit the pilgrims during the religious congregation with access to bathing ghats and other important destinations.

This string of development projects comes amid an even extensive infrastructure overhaul of Ujjain, with the state government approving 128 projects worth Rs 13,851 crore across 10 departments, all in preparation for Simhastha 2028.

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Among the biggest projects are the Rs 1,692-crore Ujjain-Indore six-lane project and a separate Rs 2,935-crore greenfield four-lane corridor between the two cities.

Another major project is the 98.73-km Ujjain-Jaora greenfield four-lane corridor, estimated to cost Rs 5,017 crore, which is expected to provide connectivity towards the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and divert long-distance traffic away from Ujjain.

Along the Shipra, approximately 29.2 km of new ghats and associated infrastructure are being developed under a Rs 778-crore project. The government is also executing the Rs 919.94-crore Kanh closed-duct diversion project, involving a 30.15-km system, including a 12-km tunnel and an 18.15-km cut-and-cover section, to prevent polluted water from the Kanh river from entering the Shipra.