Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Indore-based social worker Vinod Agrawal, host of Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee and priest Pradeep Guru, has donated Rs 22 crore for the construction of the newly built hi-tech food area. It is no less than a five star hotel. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will dedicate it at a function to be organised on Thursday evening. The CM is scheduled to arrive here at around 7.30 pm and will also inaugurate the second phase of Mahakal Lok. He will leave from here after attending Shayan Aarti at Mahakaleshwar Temple.
One lakh people will be able to eat food in a day in the two-storied building of the huge granary built in 50k square feet. It is only with this amount that the entire building of this hi-tech Annakshetra has been constructed. Apart from this, Praveen Arora, another host of priest Pradeep Guru, a resident of Gurgaon, has also donated a separate amount of Rs 5 crore to Annakshetra. Due to which hi-tech machines, utensils etc have been made available to the devotees in Annakshetra.
In this food field, all work from cutting vegetables to cooking and washing utensils will be done by machines. Hi-tech machines have been procured from Ahmedabad and Chennai. Around 8 to 9k devotees will be able to have food together in the new building.
According to Yash Pujari, this is probably the largest and hi-tech Annakshetra in the country. This food field has been built in the parking area of the temple. Its construction began two years ago under Mahakal Temple Expansion Phase-2. The aim is that no devotee coming to the temple should go hungry and should not have to wander for food.
The restaurant is built on about 50k square feet. On entering the two-storied Annakshtra area, on the ground floor, there is a big lawn like a hotel. Devotees will be able to sit and wait here. After this a huge dining hall is built. There is seating arrangement for around 4500 people in the dining hall. Both floors are completely air conditioned. There are three big lifts installed here. Of these, two lifts are for devotees. At the same time, the third lift is for carrying goods.
There is a similar arrangement on the ground and first floor. There is an equally big dining hall above. There are two large kitchens on both floors. Different machines are installed for each task in both the kitchens. Machines have been brought from Ahmedabad at a cost of around Rs 5 crore. However, these machines are yet to be installed.
All the machines have been modified and customised as per need. There is a provision to feed around 9k people together on both the floors. 80 people will have the responsibility of preparing and serving prasad for one lakh people in the food area. In this, 50 people will do cooking. At the same time, 30 people will be deployed for other responsibilities including serving food.
