PM Modi lays foundation stone for road projects in Maharashtra temple town Pandharpur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for two road projects aimed at improving connectivity to the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra via video conferencing on Monday.He laid the foundation stone for four-laning of five sections of Shri Sant Dnyaneshawar Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH-965) and three sections of Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH-965G).According to an official release, dedicated walkways for 'Palkhi' will be constructed on either side of the national highways, providing hassle-free and safe passage to devotees.About 221 km of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg from Diveghat to Mohol and about 130 km of Sant 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 more than Rs 6,690 crore and about Rs 4,400 crore respectively. The construction of Sreesanth Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg will be done in five phases and that of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg will be completed in three phases.Addressing the event, Modi said the annual Pandharpur 'wari' or pilgrimage in Maharashtra is a symbol of social harmony, equal opportunity and power of women who take part in the event along with male devotees.Women and men walk side by side during the pilgrimage to the temple town Pandharpur in Solapur District, he said after laying the foundation stone.He said that only a few days ago he had the opportunity to unveil a rebuilt statue of Adi Shankaracharya in the Kedarnath Temple and now Lord Vitthal has connected him to the people of Maharashtra.He said that the Pandharpur Yatra is the world's oldest and largest people's movement. "How many attacks have happened on our India in the past! This country was caught in slavery for hundreds of years. Natural calamities, challenges and difficulties came, but our faith in Lord Vitthal Dev continued," he said."These journeys (yatras) run on different Palkhi routes, but all have the same destination.  It is a symbol of India's eternal education which does not bind our faith, but liberates," he added.He said that he wanted to ask for three things as blessings from "my Warkari brothers" — Trees along walkways along the highways, arrangement for drinking water at specific distances along the roads, and to make Pandharpur the cleanest pilgrimage site in India.During the event, the prime minister also dedicated 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 include 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.Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray were also present on the occasion.With input from agencies