Days of painstaking climb for laxman Sthal in Chitrakoot and Ashtbhuja temple in Mirzapur may be over as Uttar Pradesh Government is planning to install ropeway for the pilgrims visiting these two religious places situated at the top of the mountain.
“Both the ropeways are likely to be operational by next Navratra, which starts from April 8 next year. Once operational these ropeways will provide immense relief to the pilgrims,” a senior official told The Pioneer on Sunday.
The laxman Sthal is a religious place at Devangana Valley in Chitrakoot while Ashtbhuja temple in Mirzapur. Ashtabhuja temple, dedicated to Goddess Maha Saraswati (on a hillock, 3 km from Vindhyavasini temple) and is frequented by political leaders and cine stars.
The proposals were cleared by the Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (IIDC). Under the proposed project, ropeways would be built under the public-private-partnership (PPP) model.
“An agreement has been made between UP State Tourism Development Corporation and the concerned construction companies for which UP government will pay Rs 22 crore,” the official said.
The pilgrims have to pay just Rs 30 per head to avail the facilities.
In Chitrakoot, the ropeway will take the pilgrims to the height of 264 meters at laxman hill while in Mirzapur, the ropeway will connect the 199 meters high Asthbhuja temple.
“The Government is committed to extend all available facilities to the pilgrims visiting different religious places of the state. The government has already declared 24x7 power supply in all prominent religious places and now this ropeway service will add more benefits to the pilgrims,” Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhry said.
Chaudhry, who is also cabinet rank minister in the state government said that recently the government had started Srawan Express under which elderly people are taken to religious places like Haridwar, Trichi and Rameshwaram.
He said Government is also planning to have a ropeway in Barsana in Mathura.