Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated and dedicated the first phase of the Rs 850 crore 'Shri Mahakal Lok' corridor in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh to the nation.
Dressed in traditional dhoti, the PM arrived at Shri Mahakal Lok where he went on to unveil the plaque to mark the dedication of Shri Mahakal Lok.
For the ceremony, the prime minister was accompanied by the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai Patel, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The prime minister after the inauguration addressed a public gathering.
He thanked MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and temple priests and authorities for the successfull development of the first phase of Mahakal Lok corridor.
"The grandeur of Mahalkal Lok is unparalleled and this will add impetus to the global cultural significance of the country," PM Modi said.
The prime minister earlier today offered prayers and performed puja at Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling before inaugurating the first phase of 'Mahakal Lok'.
Mahakal Lok project
:According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Phase-I of the 'Mahakal Lok' project will help in enriching the experience of pilgrims visiting the temple by providing them with world-class modern amenities.
"The project aims to decongest the entire area and also put special emphasis on the conservation and restoration of heritage structures. Under the project, the temple precinct will be expanded nearly seven times. The total cost of the entire project is around Rs 850 crore. The existing footfall of the temple, which is currently around 1.5 crore per annum, is expected to be doubled. Development of the project has been planned under two phases," said the PMO.
The Mahakal Path contains 108 stambhs (pillars) which depict Anand Tandav Swaroop (dance form) of Lord Shiva. Many religious sculptures depicting the life of Lord Shiva are installed along the Mahakal Path.
The mural wall along the Path is based on Shiva Purana stories such as the Act of creation, the Birth of Ganesha, Story of Sati and Daksha among others. The Plaza area, which is spread over 2.5 hectares, is surrounded by a lotus pond and contains the statue of Shiva along with fountains. The entire premise will be monitored 24x7 by Integrated Command and Control Centre with the help of artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras.
(with ANI inputs)
