Lok Sabha Question No. 3511 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Buddhist Corridor in Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Bhola Singh, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3511

## ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021

## BUDDHIST CORRIDOR IN UTTAR PRADESH

## 3511. SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK: SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the list of places being developed as tourist destinations in the country  under  the  Buddhist  corridor  in  Uttar  Pradesh,  districtwise;
- (b) the  details  of  measures  being  taken  to  provide  connectivity  to the Buddhist corridor in Uttar Pradesh and the funds granted in this regard so far;
- (c) whether the Government intends to take measures in this regard in the near future too;
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor; and
- (e) the new initiatives/steps that were taken by the Government in this regard during the last three years?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF TOURISM

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) to (e):  The Ministry of Tourism with an objective to create  tourism infrastructure  in  the  country,  provides  financial    assistance    to  the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations/ Central Agencies under    its    schemes  of    'Swadesh  Darshan'    and      'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive' (PRASHAD). The Ministry  under  'Swadesh Darshan' scheme has  sanctioned   5 projects  under Buddhist circuit theme  including 1 project  in  Uttar Pradesh,    the    details  of  which    are  at    annexure-I.    In    addition, another  project  'Development of Wayside Amenities in Uttar Pradesh and  Bihar'    for    an    amount  of    Rs.  17.93  Crore at VaranasiGaya; Lucknow-Ayodhya- Lucknow; Gorakhpur  Kushinagar;Kushinagar

-  Gaya  Kushinagar  routes  has    also    been    sanctioned.    Under PRASHAD scheme of the Ministry of  Tourism,  components  of  Sound and Light Show at Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath at a cost of Rs. 7.34 Crore and  Buddha  Theme  Park,  Sarnath,  at  a  cost  of  Rs.  2.20  Crore  have also been sanctioned in the state of  Uttar Pradesh. Hon'ble Prime Minister inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport on 20 th   October  2021  which will enhance connectivity to the region.  Details  of  the      connectivity  works  being  undertaken  in  the Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh by the Ministry of Road Transport  and Highways is  at annexure-II. In  addition,  an  Action  Plan  has  been  formulated  with  a  view  to evolve a coordinated strategy for "Revival of India as a Global Centre of  Buddhist  Culture  and  Tourism  with  Special  Focus  on  Bodhgaya'. The Action Plan includes interventions under 4 verticals: i) Connectivity; ii) Infrastructure and Logistics; iii) Cultural Heritage,  Research & Education; and iv) Public Awareness, Communication  &  Outreach  and  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  been made  the  nodal  Ministry  for  monitoring  the  implementation  of  the Action Plan. The  Ministry  of  Tourism  as  part    of  its    ongoing    promotional activities undertakes holistic promotion of various tourist destinations including  Buddhist sites  of the country, in the  domestic and international  markets.

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ANNEXURE - I

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) TO (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3511 ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021 REGARDING BUDDHIST CORRIDOR IN UTTAR PRADESH.

## DETAILS OF PROJECTS SANCTIONED UNDER BUDDHIST CIRCUIT THEME OF SWADESH DARSHAN SCHEME

(Amt. in crore)

|   S.No. | Name of State   | Year of sanction   | Project Name                                                                                                          |   Amt. Sanctioned |   Amt. Released |
|---------|-----------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|       1 | Madhya Pradesh  | 2016-17            | Development of Sanchi-Satna- Rewa-Mandsaur- Dhar.                                                                     |             74.02 |           69.08 |
|       2 | Uttar Pradesh   | 2016-17            | Development of Srawasti, Kushinagar, & Kapilvastu.                                                                    |             99.97 |           72.56 |
|       3 | Bihar           | 2016-17            | Construction of Convention Centre at Bodhgaya                                                                         |             98.73 |           93.22 |
|       4 | Gujarat         | 2017-18            | Development of Junagadh- Gir Somnath- Bharuch-Kutch- Bhavnagar- Rajkot- Mehsana                                       |             28.67 |           22.28 |
|       5 | Andhra Pradesh  | 2017-18            | Development of Buddhist Circuit: Shalihundam- Thotlakonda- Bavikonda- Bojjanakonda- Amravati- Anupu in Andhra Pradesh |             24.14 |           26.17 |

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## ANNEXURE - II

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3511 ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021 REGARDING BUDDHIST CORRIDOR IN UTTAR PRADESH.

DETAILS OF THE   CONNECTIVITY WORKS BEING UNDERTAKEN IN THE BUDDHIST  SITES IN  UTTAR  PRADESH    BY  THE  MINISTRY  OF    ROAD TRANSPORT  AND HIGHWAYS

(Rs. in Crore)

|   Sr. No | Name of Stretch                                      | Length   | Approximate Cost   | Status                |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------|----------|--------------------|-----------------------|
|       01 | Bodhgaya- Rajgir- Nalanda Bihar sharif (Old NH-82)   | 92 km    | Rs.2138            | 4-laning work ongoing |
|       02 | Biharsharif to Bakhtiyarpur (Old NH-31)              | 30 km    | Rs 1362            | 4-laning work ongoing |
|       03 | Bakhtiyarpur to Patna (Old NH-30)                    | 50 km    | Rs 574             | 4-laning completed    |
|       04 | Patna -Vaishali - Rampur Khajuria (NH-139W           | 120 km   | Rs 3080            | Under DPR             |
|       05 | Rampur Khajuria- UP/Bihar border- Kushinagar (NH-27) | 157 km   | Rs 1187            | 4-laning completed    |

## Kushinagar - Gorakhpur - Siddharthnagar - Shrawasti

|   Sr. No | Name of Stretch                       | Length   | Approximate Cost   | Status                                  |
|----------|---------------------------------------|----------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|       01 | Kushinagar to Gorakhpur (NH-27)       | 85 km    | Rs. 1390 crores    | 4-laning completed                      |
|       02 | Gorakhpur to Siddharthnagar (NH- 730) | 98 km    | Rs.396 crores      | 2-laning with paved shoulders completed |

| 03   | Siddharthnagar- Shrawasti (NH-730)   | 173 km   | Rs.1130 crores   |
|------|--------------------------------------|----------|------------------|

## Siddharthnagar - Varanasi

|   Sr. No | Name of Stretch                          | Length   | Approximate Cost   | Status                                  |
|----------|------------------------------------------|----------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|       01 | Siddharthnagar - Basti - Tanda (NH-233): | 122 km   | Rs.1535 crores     | 2-laning with paved shoulders completed |
|       02 | Tanda- Varanasi (NH- 233)                | 177 km   | Rs.2201 crores     | 4-laning ongoing /completed             |

##  Varanasi to Kushinagar

|   Sr.N o | Name of Stretch                 | Length   | Approximate Cost   | Status                                                                         |
|----------|---------------------------------|----------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       01 | Varanasi - Gorakhpur (Old NH-29 |          | Rs.2999 crores     | 4 laning completed (Length - 72 km) and 4 laning under ongoing(Length - 65 km) |
|       02 | Gorakhpur - Kushinagar          | 222 km   |                    | 4 laning completed (Length - 85 km)                                            |

##  Varanasi to Bodhgaya

|   Sr. No. | Name of Stretch             | Length   | Approximate Cost   | Status                                   |
|-----------|-----------------------------|----------|--------------------|------------------------------------------|
|        01 | Varanasi - Dobhi (NH- 2):   |          | Rs.3312 crores     | 6 laning under ongoing (Length - 240 km) |
|        02 | Dobhi- Bodhgaya (Old NH-83) | 255 km   |                    | 4 laning under ongoing (Length - 15 km   |

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