NEW DELHI: In less than two months from now, Delhi will have a place for the devout to offer prayers to the Yamuna every day.
Being developed on the western banks of the river opposite Kashmere Gate ISBT,
Vasudev Ghat
along the Yamuna is nearing completion. Once ready,
Yamuna aarti
will be organised at the ghat daily on the lines of Ganga aarti in Varanasi.
The project is being executed by Delhi Development Authority and includes a ghat, a pedestrian walkway, a bathing place and landscaping in Charbagh style with baradaris (pavilion-like structures) and chhatris (canopies).
Lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Monday evening attended a religious event at
Vasudev Ghat
and offered his prayers at a replica of the newly built temple of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.
Raj Niwas officials said many structures such as baradari and chhatri and two elephants made of pink sandstones have already been installed along with a huge bell weighing 300kg.
"The development of Vasudev Ghat is a part of the restoration of the Yamuna floodplain on either side of the river. The way Yamuna Vatika, Baansera and Asita have been developed along the river, Vasudev Ghat is also coming up in a similar fashion," an official said. He added that a total of 16 hectares of the floodplain- a stretch of 1.5km from Yudhishtir Setu in the north till Nigambodh Ghat in south - is being developed with extensive landscaping.
The new ghat will have stairs going down towards the river where people will be able to sit and watch the river. The riverfront of the ghat will be around 150 metres long.
While the work on Vasudev Ghat had started last year, officials said it was severely impacted due to the floods in the Yamuna in August. Officials said around one and half feet thick layer of silt was collected in and around the baradaris and other structures developed at the ghat.
"It took some time to clean the area and restart the development work, which pushed the deadlines. The work now is going on at a steady pace and we hope the ghat will be ready for aarti within a few weeks," said the official.