Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the first phase of the Rs 856-crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project in Ujjain on Tuesday which is expected to significantly boost tourism in this holy city of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Bhupendra Singh had earlier said that Prime Minister Modi will land in Ujjain around 5:30 PM on October 11.
Modi's chopper will land at a helipad located in the Police Line campus here. The span of the designated helipad has been widened to facilitate landing on the day of the event.
Events lined up
Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on Twitter shared a video showing spectacular drone views of the corridor.
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"Jai Mahakal The first phase of the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor of Ujjain is all set to be inaugurated by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji tomorrow 11th, October," he tweeted.
Reddy also shared another video on Twitter showing the sculptures, murals and other structures of the corridor.
"Mega arrangements have been made for the opening of the 'Mahakal Lok' that will be dedicated to the people by the prime minister. After reaching Ujjain, he will drive to the temple complex in his motorcade and perform a 'puja' at the Mahakaleshwar Temple. After that, he will go to the 'Nandi Dwar' and inaugurate the corridor," said a senior official of Ujjain Smart City Ltd, which has executed the project.
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According to the tentative travel plan of the prime minister, he is to undertake the journey to Indore airport by air, and then fly here in a helicopter in the evening, officials had earlier said.
The decor of the corridor
A large-size 'shivaling' covered in strands of 'moli' (sacred) threads has been placed below the grand gateway -- Nandi Dwar -- of the 'Mahakal Lok', sources said on Monday, adding that according to plan, the prime minister will officially unveil the 'shivaling' to symbolically mark the opening of the mega corridor.
The corridor measures over 900 metres in length and is dotted with 108 ornate sandstone columns in a row which bear a decorative 'trishul' design on top and 'mudras' of Lord Shiva.
It also has gushing fountains surrounded by artistic sculptures of the deity and 53 illuminated murals depicting stories from the Shiv Puran.
The Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the 12 'jyotirlings' in the country and gets devotees throughout the year. The mega corridor in Ujjain is located around 200 km from the state capital Bhopal.
The Mahakaleshwar Temple is considered one of the holiest places on earth by Hindus, and lakhs of people converge here from all parts of the country during the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar or Mahashivratri.
The project after completion will expand the temple complex area from 2.87 ha earlier to 47 ha, and the holding capacity will be significantly enhanced, officials said.
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'Mahakal Lok' development also includes a mid-way zone, a park, a multi-storied parking lot for cars and buses, florist and other shops, solar lighting, a facility centre for pilgrims, water pipeline and sewer line, among others.
A light and sound system has also been developed, and work on phase two of the project is currently underway, under which Rudrasagar Lake has been rejuvenated.
Celebrations ahead of Modi's visit
Ahead of Modi's visit, Ujjain has been decked up with colourful flags on a large number of lamp posts, while many streets and flyovers have been decorated with lights, including the Hari Phatak flyover that overlooks the new corridor which has turned into a selfie point of sorts for locals.
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The city has been decorated with fairy lights, and 'diyas' giving an appearance of an early Diwali.
From October 7, several cultural events have been hosted in the run-up to the inauguration, including a laser show, Ramlila at Ram Ghat and daily 'maha aarti' on the banks of Kshipra river.
Ujjain Smart City Ltd has described the project with the tagline -- "Adbhut. Anupam. Allokik". Twitter feeds of various government departments and other agencies are filled with images of the Mahakaleshwar Temple and cultural events being held prior to the opening.
Bhupendra Singh had described Prime Minister Modi as an "ardent 'bhakt' of Mahakal Maharaj", and said he is expected to spend about 2-2.5 hours in Ujjain before returning.
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Chief Executive Officer of Ujjain Smart City Ltd, Ashish Kumar Pathak told PTI that after the opening, the excitement of people will only multiply and lead to a "huge jump" in tourist footfall.
(with PTI inputs)
