New tunnel being built at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain to accommodate devotees

A special tunnel is currently under construction within the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, with the aim of providing convenient access for around 8 lakh devotees. The renowned Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas, major places of worship of Lord Shiva, witnesses a substantial influx of devotees daily.

Ujjain's Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is set to inaugurate the second phase of the 'Shri Mahakal Mahalok' corridor on October 5. This corridor has been built at a cost of Rs 242.35 crore and is being inaugurated just ahead of the year-end state assembly elections.

Kumar Purushottam, the district collector of Ujjain, explained, "At least two lakh devotees visit Mahakaleshwar Temple every day. However, it is not easy to control the crowd when the number rises to around 3 lakh a day during festivals." To address this issue, a special tunnel is being constructed within the temple premises to facilitate the convenience of devotees.


This tunnel will have the capacity to accommodate approximately eight lakh devotees visiting the temple daily. In addition to this, the second phase of the 'Shri Mahakal Mahalok' corridor includes the development of Neelkanth, Shaktipath, Anna Kshetra, Maharajwada complex, and Chhota Rudrasagar areas. It will also feature a special area where thousands of devotees can witness the temple's spire.

Furthermore, as part of this project, approximately 700 cameras equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) have been installed throughout the temple complex. These cameras are linked to a state-of-the-art control room, enabling continuous monitoring and crowd management.

It is worth noting that the first phase of the Shri Mahakal Mahalok corridor project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11 last year. This ambitious project aims to enhance the overall temple experience for devotees and is expected to significantly ease crowd control during festivals and peak visitation times.