Awanish Awasthi, advisor to the Uttar Pradesh government and former Chief Secretary, visited Vrindavan on Friday to hold discussions with various stakeholders over the opposition to the proposed Banke Bihari Temple Corridor project.
Awasthi first held a meeting with district officials to assess the current situation. After that, he went to the historic Banke Bihari Temple, where he performed traditional rituals including the Dehri Pujan and Itr Seva.
Following the religious ceremonies, he held discussions with the temple’s Goswami Sevayats, some of whom have opposed the corridor project and the state govt forming a trust to manage the temple. Apart from hearing from the priests over their resistance to the project, he also explained the project’s potential advantages.
Addressing the media, Awasthi said, “Efforts are underway to showcase Vrindavan’s management to the entire world, and a decision will be made soon.”
Later, Awanish Awasthi moved to the Tourist Facility Centre (TFC), where he presided over a meeting with representatives from various segments of the local community. The session aims to address public concerns and deliberate further on the future of the corridor initiative.
