Ahmedabad: The city civic body has initiated work on its Temple Link Project, valued at over Rs. 155 crore, to develop the area surrounding the famous Jagannath Temple in the old city. This project, which aims to highlight Ahmedabad’s rich temple heritage, includes a 2-km trail passing through historic sites like Vasant Chowk and the Ganesh Temple, connecting Saptarshi No Aaro to the Jagannath Temple along the traditional Jal Yatra route.

The trail will connect a network of nearly 35 ancient temples, including the Saptarshi No Aaro, Jagannath Temple, Somnath Bhudar Aaro (Jal Yatra route), Mahalaxmi Temple near Manek Burj, temples near Rambari, Ganesh Temple, Maruti Temple, Krishna Temple in Vasant Chowk, and others.

The project involves the renovation of these temples and the creation of 10 temple squares (plazas) and gardens, a heritage interpretation center, and a multilevel parking facility.

The project has been divided into three zones. In the first phase, renovation work will focus on temples in the Vasant Chowk area and near Rambari along the Sabarmati River.

The second zone will focus on temples near Saptarshi No Aaro. Plans include restoring these temples to their original grandeur and constructing a plaza featuring a sculptural representation of the Saptrishis. This zone will also connect to the Jagannath Temple via the Jal Yatra route, with renovations planned for temples along this path, including the Ramji and Mahadev temples. A grand plaza will be constructed in front of the Jagannath Temple, along with a heritage gate on the Sabarmati River. Additionally, the AMC’s EWS housing scheme will be developed on the eastern side of the Jal Yatra route to relocate project-affected slum dwellers. As part of this, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has issued notices to 15 properties, instructing them to vacate within seven days, after which the area will be cleared for the project.

The third zone will cover the area behind Tilak Bag along the Sabarmati River. This zone will include the construction of a heritage center spanning 1,600 sq m and a multilevel parking facility designed to alleviate congestion, with a capacity to accommodate 750 four-wheelers,” said an official. DeshGujarat