Modi to lay stone for 4-laning of road leading to Hindu pilgrimage town

Tribune News Service                                                                                          

New Delhi, November 8

In order to facilitate the movement of devotees to Pandharpur, a well-known pilgrimage town, on the banks of the Chandrabhaga river in Solāpur district, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for four-laning of five sections of ‘Shri Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg’ (NH-965) and three sections of ‘Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg’ (NH-965G), on Monday via video-conferencing.

Dedicated walkways for ‘Palkhi’ will be constructed on either side of these National Highways, providing hassle-free and safe passage to devotees.

About 221 km of the Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg from Diveghat to Mohol and about 130 km of the Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg from Patas to Tondale – Bondale, will be four-laned with dedicated walkways for ‘Palkhi’ on either side, at estimated costs of over Rs 6,690 crore and about Rs 4,400 crore, respectively.

During the event, the Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation more than 223 km of completed and upgraded road projects, constructed at an estimated cost of over Rs 1,180 crore at different National Highways for boosting connectivity to Pandharpur.

These projects are  Mhaswad- Piliv-Pandharpur (NH 548E), Kurduwadi-Pandharpur (NH 965C), Pandharpur-Sangola (NH 965C), Tembhurni-Pandharpur section of NH 561A and Pandharpur-Mangalwedha – Umadi  section of NH 561A.

“Will lay the foundation stone for the 4-laning of sections of Shri Sant Dnyaneshawar Maharaj Palkhi Marg and Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg. Dedicated walkways for Palkhis will be constructed for the benefit of pilgrims. Various road projects will also be inaugurated,” Modi tweeted.

“Pandharpur has a special place in the hearts and minds of many. The Temple there draws people from all sections of society, from all over India,” the PM added in another tweet.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be present on the occasion.