In a major verdict, the Allahabad High Court has approved the Uttar Pradesh government’s plan to build a corridor around the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, Mathura. However, the court has not given permission to use the money deposited in the bank account of the temple for building the corridor.

The decision came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mathura-Vrindavan on November 23.

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The bench comprising Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava held that they will not accept the requested by the government counsel for use of Rs 262.50 crore of the deity.

The court has said that the government should move ahead with its proposed plan but should also ensure that the visitors do not face any hindrance in their darshan.

The court has also given permission to the government to remove the encroachments that have become a hindrance in building the corridor and the government will have to construct the corridor at its own expense.

The corridor of Banke Bihari Temple will be built on the lines of the corridor built in Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Varanasi.

After the completion of the hearing on November 8, the High Court reserved its decision. Now, the next hearing of the case will be on 31 January 2024.

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on behalf of petitioners Anant Sharma, Madhumangal Das, and others.

The priests of the temple had termed the construction of the corridor as unnecessary and had flatly refused to give the amount of offerings and donations.

The priests are protesting against the Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, whereas the government wants to build this corridor, keeping in mind the convenience of the devotees.