Relocation of Hanuman temple gains momentum

NASHIK: The executive committee of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has sanctioned Rs 2.12 crore for relocating the Hanuman temple in Dwarka, as part of relocating religious structures on the Mumbai-Agra highway and the twin service roads along it.
MP Hemant Godse said that the NHAI executive committee recently approved Rs 31 crore for various works related to streamlining vehicular traffic on the Mumbai-Agra highway passing through the city.The works are mainly from Dwarka junction to Jatra hotel.
This work also includes relocating the Hanuman Temple at Dwarka junction, to streamline the vehicular traffic coming from the Pune side and moving towards Mumbai.
Recently, the Bali temple on Mumbai-Agra highway was also relocated. Godse said that the same way, the Hanuman temple will also be relocated after getting a consent from the people of the area.
Apart from the Hanuman temple, the service roads along the highway that pass through the city also have two dargahs and temples.
One dargah is in the Mumbai Naka area and the other is near Wockhardt hospital. While the dargah at Mumbai Naka is not causing any problems, a free road towards the left, for vehicles coming from Pournima signal is necessary and the relocation of the dargah will help streamline the traffic there.
The dargah near Wockhardt hospital occupies a good amount of space on the service road. A few years back, notices were served to remove the structure. Local residents said that the NHAI officials had simply handed over the notices to petty vendors near the structure and cautioned the department against any voluntary action. A resident said that the NMC and NHAI should take members of all communities into confidence and then decide on relocating the structure.