UAD Minister Babulal Gaur said that better facilities should be provided to visiting devotees at sacred cities Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Barwah and Sanawad during Simhastha to be held at Ujjain in year 2016.
He also directed concerned officials to complete all development works positively by year 2015.
Gaur was addressing a meeting of Urban Administration Department here on Monday. The meeting also discussed a `237 crore scheme for these cities. Principal Secretary Urban Administration SN Mishra and Commissioner Urban Administration Sanjay Shukla were also present on the occasion.
Gaur said that large number of devotees have been visiting ancient Shiva temple at Omkareshwar. Cement-concrete roads should be constructed there for devotees’ convenience. Gaur directed to make special arrangements for women at ghats of Narmada River and added that women devotees should be provided separate ghats during religious festivals.
Gaur said that approach roads to the temples in these cities should be constructed in such a way that chances of accidents were eliminated.
It was informed at the meeting that Jyotirlinga was the most important place at Omkareshwar where about 3 to 3.50 lakh people assembled on special occasions. Famous Jain pilgrimage Siddhwarkoot was situated at the southern bank of Narmada where Jain devotees also frequented in large numbers. In view of Simhastha-2016, a `121 crore plan has been chalked out for health, drinking water, lodging, ghat, Parikrama path, tourism and archaeological preservation arrangements at this city.
The meeting also discussed construction of bridges, ghats and dharmshalas, renovation of Chhatris situated at Maheshwar temple, repair of fort’s walls and construction of a sewerage treatment plant for de-polluting Narmada river.
At the meeting, directives were given to construct a heritage walk for tourists in Maheshwar town. It will cost `3 crore.
Discussions were also held on construction of bus stand at Mandleshwar, drinking water scheme, sewerage treatment plant, construction of ghat at Barwah on Narmada bank, development of basic amenities at existing bus stand and construction of CC road at Sanawad.
Plans worth `61 crore for Maheshwar, `32 crore Mandleshwar, `20 crore Barwah and `3.50 crore for Sanawad have been chalked out.