Assam Begins Kamakhya Corridor Project Pending IIT Clearance

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that work on the Kamakhya Access Corridor will commence post-IIT Guwahati clearance. Larsen and Toubro has prepared the project blueprint. The corridor affects eternal springs at the temple, sparking legal and public concerns. The foundation was laid by PM Modi in February.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday that the construction of the proposed Kamakhya Access Corridor will only start following clearance from IIT Guwahati.

Larsen and Toubro have been chosen to execute the corridor project and have submitted detailed blueprints and plans to IIT Guwahati for review, Sarma informed reporters after offering prayers at the Kamakhya Temple located atop the Nilachal Hills.

The clearance process will include an examination of hydrological and geological concerns raised, with construction slated to begin post-approval. According to Sarma, no specific deadline has been provided to IIT Guwahati, and the process may take several months.

The project's feasibility remains a topic of debate, as highlighted by a writ petition from a group of temple priests, arguing that the development could adversely impact the temple's natural springs, including the sanctum sanctorum's perennial spring. The Gauhati High Court will review the petition on July 27.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Rs 498 crore Kamakhya Access Corridor, part of the Prime Minister's Development Initiative in the North East (PM-DevINE), earlier this year in February. The Chief Minister offered prayers at the temple with his wife, following its reopening post the Ambubachi Mela's annual closure.

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