27 August,2026 08:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis at a meeting on the Pandharpur pilgrimage development plan at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the development plan for Pandharpur will be finalised only after taking all the stakeholders into confidence and incorporating the suggestions and demands of warkaris, devotees, residents, traders, mathadhipatis, and people's representatives.
Fadnavis said the development of Pandharpur is being planned with a 50-year vision, focusing on facilities for devotees as well as boosting the local economy. With the number of devotees visiting Pandharpur increasing every year, he said integrated and long-term planning for the entire city was necessary.
The Maharashtra CM was speaking at a meeting on the Pandharpur pilgrimage development plan at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore, legislator Samadhan Autade, and senior officials from various departments were present at the meeting.
Fadnavis said the increasing number of devotees visiting Pandharpur makes it necessary to manage future crowds in a scientific and systematic manner.
Along with traditional methods, the government will use modern technology and various digital tools for crowd management, he said.
Integrated planning will be undertaken to ensure devotees have a safe, convenient, and smooth experience while travelling to Pandharpur and seeking darshan.
Fadnavis said the development plan would not be imposed merely because the government wanted to undertake development work.
"The development plan is not being imposed just because the government has to do something. It is being prepared keeping in mind the interests of the citizens of Pandharpur and the lakhs of devotees who visit the city," he stated.
The Maharashtra CM directed officials to consider suggestions made by residents, architects, and people's representatives and incorporate all feasible and beneficial suggestions into the development plan.
Fadnavis said old temples and maths in Pandharpur would be developed at their existing locations, keeping in mind their religious and historical importance.
"No temple or math will be relocated," he assured.
The government will follow a policy of providing suitable rehabilitation to those affected by the development project, including âland-for-land' or âplace-for-place' rehabilitation, wherever applicable.
The rehabilitation of shopkeepers, residents, and other businesses affected by the development plan will remain a top priority, Fadnavis said.
He stated that the government was committed to addressing the distrust among citizens arising from past experiences.
According to the government, alternative shops have been planned for affected traders, while suitable alternatives are being worked out for residents of more than 500 houses that may be affected by the project.
Fadnavis also said compensation for land and property acquired in Pandharpur has been fixed on the lines of prevailing rates in Mumbai. He claimed that such a high level of compensation may not have been provided elsewhere in the country.
Fadnavis stated that planned development of religious destinations can increase the number of devotees and have a direct positive impact on the local economy.
Therefore, Pandharpur's development should not be viewed only as an infrastructure project but also from the perspective of its future economic growth, he said.
The government aims to make Pandharpur more capable, safe and convenient for devotees by keeping the needs of the coming decades in mind, the Maharashtra CM asserted.
Fadnavis urged stakeholders to point out any shortcomings in the development process and work together to find the best way forward for Pandharpur.
He reiterated that the government was committed to the city's comprehensive, safe, and long-term development by taking all stakeholders along.
Representatives of the Pandharpur Tirthakshetra Bachav Samiti, including Abhayraje Inchgaonkar Kulkarni, Venkatesh Narayan Kulkarni, Veer Ramkrishna Maharaj, Mukund Badve, Vaibhav Badve, Ganesh Lanka, Dr Prajakta Benare, Chaitanya Barsode, Darshan Mahajan Badve, Manojkumar Ramkisan Rathi, and Sanjay Avtade, also presented their views at the meeting.
