Vishnupad Temple, one of the spots in Gaya to be developed under the heritage plan

Gaya, Oct. 10: Gaya will recommend beautification of the ghats on the Falgu, the Vishnupad Temple, Jama Masjid, Jain temple and the Mahabodhi Mahavihara under the Centre’s heritage city plan.

Gaya has to tell the Centre in four days what it plans to do for itself under the plan.

Union urban development joint secretary Vijay Prakash today held talks with officials of the seven cities chosen for development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s heritage city plan.

Gaya district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) commissioner Nilesh Deore represented Gaya in the talks held through video-conferencing. They attended the talks from the collectorate.

According to the GMC commissioner, the joint secretary discussed development plans and directed them to submit a report within next four days vis-à-vis plans for Gaya and Bodhgaya.

Deore said: “Like Varanasi, we have ghats along the Falgu river that need to be developed and beautified. We will include the ghats of Falgu river, the world famous Vishnupad Temple, the Jama Masjid, which is one of the biggest mosques in Bihar, the Jain temple and, of course, the World Heritage Mahabodhi Mahavihara in Bodhgaya. All these sites will be included in the report. We will underline the historical and religious importance of these sites and also the potential from the tourism point of view.”

The Gaya collectorate

He said the basic idea of the heritage city plan is heritage conservation, tourism development and skill development of the city concerned for which the Centre will make the required funds available.”

According to plan, around Rs 200 crore would be spent in the current financial year for infrastructure development and beautification to attract tourists to these places.

Gaya is among the seven cities included in the Prime Minister’s heritage city plan named HRIDYA.

The other cities on the list are Varanasi, Mathura, Amritsar, Ajmer, Kanchipurum and Nagapattanam. The Prime Minister had announced development and beautification of cities under the plan to attract tourists that would also improve job prospects and bring business opportunities for youths.

The submitted report will be discussed at the Union cabinet meeting on November 15. The cabinet will decide on approval of plans and funds allocation.

Around Rs 200 crore is likely to be allocated for these seven cities and the amount has to be spent by the end of the ongoing financial year, 2014-15.