Fadnavis Announces Pandharpur Corridor in 2.5 Years

On the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi 2026, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a major milestone for devotees by confirming that the much-awaited Pandharpur Corridor project will be completed within the next two-and-a-half years. He assured that the ambitious temple precinct redevelopment would be carried out without causing injustice to any resident or business owner, with proper rehabilitation for all affected families.

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Speaking after performing the official Mahapuja of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini alongside his wife and honorary Warkaris Babasaheb Madhav Mane and Prabhavati Mane, Fadnavis said the redevelopment is essential to accommodate the ever-growing number of pilgrims visiting Pandharpur every year.

The Chief Minister stated that the existing temple area has become inadequate for the massive influx of devotees and that the corridor project would create a spacious, well-planned pilgrimage zone capable of handling lakhs of visitors with improved crowd management and modern facilities.

He emphasised that the project has been designed to benefit every stakeholder. According to him, local traders will receive better business opportunities, residents will be provided proper housing, and tenants will also be rehabilitated under the redevelopment plan.

Fadnavis revealed that work on the Pandharpur Corridor is expected to begin this year and expressed confidence that once completed, devotees would experience a smoother, safer and more organised pilgrimage regardless of the crowd size.

Highlighting this year’s historic Ashadhi Wari, the Chief Minister said the pilgrimage witnessed a new record, with the queue for darshan stretching over 25 kilometres. Despite waiting nearly 25 hours for darshan, devotees remained patient, continuously chanting Lord Vitthal’s name throughout the journey.

He also praised the efforts made to maintain the cleanliness of the Chandrabhaga River and the surrounding pilgrimage area. According to Fadnavis, improved sanitation and waste management created a cleaner environment for lakhs of Warkaris participating in the annual pilgrimage.

Calling the Wari one of Maharashtra’s greatest spiritual traditions, the Chief Minister said serving Warkaris is equivalent to serving Lord Vitthal. He added that the state government’s recent decisions, including loan waivers for 5.6 million farmers, free electricity for farmers, and waiver of pending electricity dues, were taken with the welfare of the farming community in mind.

During the ceremony, honorary Warkaris Babasaheb Madhav Mane and Prabhavati Mane were felicitated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Amruta Fadnavis. They were also presented with a one-year free MSRTC bus travel pass.

The Chief Minister also presented the ‘Shri Vitthal Nirmal Dindi’ Awards to Warkari groups promoting water conservation, sanitation, environmental protection, plastic-free pilgrimage and tree plantation during the Ashadhi Wari.

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