Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate newly-constructed corridor of Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain on October 11, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.

While reviewing the project during a visit to Ujjain, the chief minister said: “The first phase of ambitious project of Ujjain Mahakal Corridor is nearing completion. Prime Minister Modi will visit Ujjain to offer prayer at the temple and to inaugurate the project on October 11.”

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The project – Ujjain Mahakal Corridor – has been divided into a two phases in which the temple complex will be expanded nearly eight times its present size from 2.82 hectares to 20.23 hectares by August 2023.

Work under the first phase includes 900-metre long corridor filled with scores of installations, a theme park, a heritage mall, E-transport facilities, among others.

In the second phase, the government has planned to transform Maharajwada school Bhavan to a heritage Dharamshala, as well as linking of Rudra Sagar and Shipra river, beautification of the front lake area, construction of multi-level parking with a space to fit 350 cars, a railway underpass and the development of a 210-meter suspension bridge over Rudra Sagar, amongst others would be undertaken.

Moreover, a dynamic light show will be given a spot near the iconic Ram Ghat. As per the state government, the work will be completed by 2028.

Notably, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government, earlier in January this year, had approved an initial fund of Rs 500 crore for the development of the corridor.

Touted to transform into India’s most technologically advanced religious site, the government has planned to expand the Ujjain Mahakal Temple Corridor.

The monumental project is being developed under the MP government’s larger plan to transform Ujjain into a ‘Smart City’.

On December 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated his dream project – the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor – at his parliamentary constituency Varanasi. Conceptualised by the Prime Minister himself, the corridor located near the iconic Dashashwamedh Ghat, sought to clear the pathway to the ancient temple by removing properties clogging the corridor in a litigation-free manner, while preserving existing heritage sites.