Vindhyachal Corridor: UP’s upcoming temple project in Mirzapur aims to overhaul tourism

Big tourism boost for Vindhyachal Corridor project in Uttar Pradesh! Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the Rs 300-crore Vindhyachal Corridor project in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur district. A “dream project” of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the project will see amenities developed for devotees visiting the district’s famous Vindhyachal temple. The surrounding roads will also be widened to 50 feet and the government will facilitate a grander look for darshan at the shrine.

The project
Once completed, the Vindhya Corridor will provide a view of the Ganga to the temple’s northern side. Reports said visitors will be able to see the river from the stairway and provide an added attraction for the thousands of devotees that come for a darshan at the temple. The Vindhyachal Corridor is seen as important for Uttar Pradesh’s pilgrimage sector as devotees have complained about the condition near the temple being unfit for a holy location. There is almost no proper transport to the temple, while the narrow lanes and roads that lead to the shrine often remain inaccessible for pilgrims. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hopes the Vindhyachal Corridor project will increase footfall at the temple as well as surrounding areas.

How to reach airport nearest to temple
The airport nearest to the temple is in Babatpur, Varanasi, around 72 km away. The Vindhyachal railway station, located on the Delhi-Howrah and Mumbai-Howrah routes, is approximately 1 km from the temple. As only a few trains have a stop at Vindhyachal, many pilgrims opt for Mirzapur railway station 9 km away. The Delhi-Kolkata stretch of the National Highway-2 remains the most convenient way to reach the temple. Uttar Pradesh State Transport buses to Vindhyachal are also available from Varanasi and Prayagraj (Allahabad).

The goddess and the temple
Pilgrims flock to the temple as per their beliefs, Vindhyavasini was incarnated to kill Mahishasura, the demon. The goddess, believed to be the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda, bestowed benediction to devotees instantly. The temple witnesses hundreds of thousands of devotees paying homage to the Goddess Vindhvasini and is a popular tourist attraction in the state. Among the most-revered siddhapeeths, the temple holds congregations during Navratras, while Kajali competitions are conducted in June.