Funds allocated for beautification, amenities and traffic management
Devotees at Siddhivinayak temple. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated over Rs 100 crore for the development of facilities aimed at enhancing the experience of devotees visiting the Siddhivinayak Temple. This detailed development plan includes the beautification of the temple surroundings, construction of an independent road leading to the temple, installation of 5-star toilet facilities, provision of parking spaces, and the implementation of special facilities for pregnant women and senior citizens. To oversee these initiatives, the BMC has initiated the tender process to enlist the expertise of world-class advisors.
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As part of the development plan, the Metro train station adjacent to the temple will be linked directly and named the Siddhivinayak Temple station. Additionally, traffic management measures will be implemented to ensure smooth access to the temple without encountering congestion issues. MLA and Chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, Sada Sarvankar, along with BMC Additional Commissioner Ramakant Biradar (Zone-2), have spearheaded this development initiative under the guidance of Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and Additional Commissioner Ashwini Joshi. Emphasising the significance of this endeavour, Biradar said, “We have issued the tender to develop the temple. There will be two gates, Riddhi and Siddhi gates, and we have performed the bhoomi poojan of the Riddhi gate. The temple will be developed similarly to Shirdi or any other major temple.”
The decision to embark on this development journey was prompted by a mid-day report revealing exploitation of devotees by flower vendors in the guise of VVIP darshan privileges. Subsequently, the BMC and the temple trust resolved to overhaul the temple premises to ensure a hassle-free experience for devotees. As part of this initiative, flower vendors along C K Bole Marg will be relocated to K Kakasaheb Gadgil Marg, away from the main route to the temple.
Biradar said, “In the queue, devotees will have access to toilet and water facilities. All the toilets are designed to 5-star standards. Flower vendors will be organised in a way that does not disturb the crowd. We are also developing a beautiful garden outside the temple where people can spend some time with their families.”
Elaborating further Biradar added, “The Metro railway station is located outside the temple where we plan to develop the main entrance of the temple. All roads connected to the Siddhivinayak temple will be widened and developed. Bus services to the Siddhivinayak temple will be available every 5 minutes from Dadar station to the temple and vice versa, with a fare of R5 per journey.”