Cabinet clears permanent construction on 3.81 hectares for Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan at Girda

Mumbai: The state Cabinet has allowed Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan, Shegaon, to carry out permanent, or pucca, construction on 3.81 hectares of government land at Girda in Buldhana district for the development of the pilgrimage site. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It clears the way for the development of the Girda pilgrimage site. The move came on the initiative of Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

Following the decision, facilities such as a memorial centre, a hospital, a residential complex, a naturopathy centre and an Ayurvedic research centre can be built at Girda. This will help pilgrims who visit the place get accommodation and health facilities.

The Sansthan had earlier been given 19.06 hectares of government land at Girda for planting trees. A special permission for permanent construction for the development of the pilgrimage site has now been given on 3.81 hectares of that land. The land had earlier been cleared only for tree plantation, but given the need for pucca construction for the development of the pilgrimage site, the state government has granted this special permission.

Plans for the site include a memorial centre, an eco-tourism centre, a Shanti Kutir, a residential complex, a naturopathy centre, an Ayurvedic research centre, a hospital and the facilities needed for rural cottage industries. These projects are expected to boost religious tourism and give pilgrims health services, accommodation and naturopathy facilities.

For this purpose, a special exemption has been granted from the relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, and from the rules of the government decision of August 16, 1990. The permission will remain in force only on the conditions laid down by the government.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule expressed satisfaction over the decision. He said Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan, Shegaon, is a place of faith for lakhs of devotees. According to him, the Revenue Department took the initiative so that permission for permanent construction would be granted for building various facilities at Girda.

Bawankule also said that the Sansthan's office-bearers, the Sansthan's president and local MLA Sanjay Kute kept pursuing the matter for this work. He expressed confidence that the decision, taken under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, would speed up the development of the Girda pilgrimage site.

The Cabinet's decision marks an important step towards developing facilities for religious tourism as well as health, accommodation and eco-friendly tourism at Girda.