Varanasi: Green cover to further beautify Kashi Vishwanath Dham precincts

VARANASI: Come monsoon, and the magnificent Kashi Vishwanath Dham (corridor) will turn even more beautiful when an abundance of greenery will be added to it with trees of select species being planted systematically in the plantation exercise.
Officials have prepared a plan of planting Neem, Karanji (Indian beech), Rudraksha, Indian Bel/Bilva (wood apple), Sita Ashok, Krishna Kadam and Nagalinga (cannon ball) trees under the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Precinct (SKVMP) Project.
Well-grown trees of select species as prescribed in the masterplan will be planted in pits ready with manure mix garden soil without damaging their primary roots, said Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board chairman and divisional commissioner Deepak Agrawal.
All the remaining construction work in the shrine area of KVD is in final stage and is likely to be completed by May-end. Preparations are in full swing to start plantation with the commencement of monsoon,” said Agrawal, while sharing the masterplan of the SKVMP Project with TOI on Sunday. “Neem, Karanji (Indian beech), Rudraksha, Indian Bel/Bilva (wood apple), Sita Ashok, Krishna Kadam, Nagalinga (Cannon ball) are the varieties of trees selected in the masterplan of SKVMP project for plantation in KVD shrine area,” added Agrawal, mentioning specifically that well-grown trees will be planted in pits ready with manure mix garden soil without damaging their primary roots. Tree guards will be installed to protect the planted trees till they are well set, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had planted a Rudraksh tree while formally opening KVD on December 13, 2021. Since the construction work under the final phase of the project was still in progress, it was decided that plantation would be done when all the work is completed, he added. All the remaining construction and finishing work of the final phase is likely to be over by May-end. The masterplan of the SKVMP project shows that maximum trees will be of Neem, which will increase greenery between the security office and KV temple premises, Mandir Chowk, and food court area. KVT premises, where a Rudraksh tree had been planted by the PM, will also be adorned with rows of Bel trees while Sita Ashok tree will also be planted. Besides, there will be rows of Karanji trees on both sides of Vedic Kendra located between Ganga Dwar entry point and Yatri Suvidha Kendra (tourist facility centre)-3. The café building near the viewing point at Ganga Dwar will also have a bunch of Neem trees. The phase-I work of PM’s dream project was completed on December 13 and just two days after the grand opening ceremony of KVD, the SKVSADB ensured restarting of the construction work of phase-II. Officials said that major construction work of phaseII was pending at Manikarnika, Jalasen and Lalita ghats, where the entry route of KVD from the riverbank, named Ganga Dwar, was being constructed. Apart from Ganga Dwar at Jalasen Ghat, ghat steps, Ganga gallery with cafeteria, a building with viewing gallery also having ramp for physically challenged pilgrims, a boundary wall and block of four buildings were proposed in phase-II for which state government had initially sanctioned Rs 55 crore, but cost was later revised up to Rs 65 crore. Most of the work, including Ganga Dwar and ghat steps, has been completed while the remaining is in the final stage, said officials.