Twenty-two wards of Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam declared holy pilgrimage sites
(Sourced from PTI)
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday declared 22 wards of the Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam area as holy pilgrimage sites. Mathura and Vrindavan are the birthplace and krira sthal of Lord Krishna. Considering Mathura and Vrindavan as holy places, lakhs of devotees from all over the country and abroad come for paying obeisance, Additional Chief Secretary Avanish Awasthi said in an official order.
"These pilgrimage sites have mythological importance and are very important from the point of view of tourism," the chief secretary further said. The official also noted that the sale of liquor, as well as non-vegetarian food items, will now be banned in the 22 wards which have been notified as pavitra teerth sthal (holy pilgrimage sites).
Apart from the 22 Mathura-Vrindavan municipal corporation wards now declared holy sites, nine wards were given the same status previously, according to local authorities. Altogether, this area has 70 wards.
The wards which have been declared as holy places of pilgrimage are Ghati Bahal Rai, Govind Nagar, Mandi Ramdas, Chaubia Pada, Dwarkapuri, Navneet Nagar, Vankhandi, Bharatpur Gate, Arjunpura, Hanuman Tila, Jagannathpuri, Gaughat. Manoharpur, Bairagpura, Radhanagar, Badrinagar, Mahavidya Colony, Krishna Nagar I, Krishnanagar II, Koyla Gali, Dampier Nagar, and Jai Singh Pura have also been declared as pilgrimage sites.
The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government had also formed the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad in order to promote tourism and develop Mathura and its surrounding areas as well. The state government has initiated many important schemes for the development of Ayodhya as well as Kashi which carry significant importance from the religious tourism point of view.
