Every year, millions of devotees travel across India to seek blessings at sacred sites. The Ministry of Tourism’s PRASHAD scheme – short for Pilgrimage Resource and Services for Ashrams, Dharmshalas and Accommodation Development – has set out to upgrade 25 of the most visited pilgrimage destinations. By focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, and hospitality, the program aims to make visits smoother, safer and more enriching for pilgrims of all ages. Below is a look at each of the 25 sites selected for development and the specific changes that will help them serve their visitors better.
The ghats along the Ganges host thousands of rituals daily. PRASHAD will improve ghats’ drainage, add solar lighting, and set up multilingual information kiosks. New dharmshalas with clean, affordable rooms will ease accommodation pressure during the Kumbh Mela and other festivals.
A major bathing site for the Ganga, Haridwar will receive upgraded public toilets, enhanced waste management, and a dedicated bus terminal to reduce traffic congestion. Digital check‑in for pilgrims at temples will streamline crowd flow.
Known for yoga and meditation retreats, Rishikesh will get better road connectivity to the town’s outskirts, and new eco‑lodges that use rainwater harvesting. A mobile app will guide visitors to meditation centers and local guides.
The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple attracts millions of devotees. PRASHAD will expand parking, install electric vehicle charging points, and construct new hostels with Wi‑Fi for long‑stay pilgrims.
Adjacent to Tirupati, Tirumala will benefit from a new footpath network linking temples, improved lighting, and a digital queue management system to reduce waiting times at the main shrine.
The island town’s iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple will see upgraded visitor centres, enhanced sea‑side sanitation, and better ferry services for those arriving from mainland Tamil Nadu.
The Jagannath Temple complex will get new rain‑water collection systems, upgraded heritage‑conserving pathways, and a smart parking system to manage the surge during the Rath Yatra festival.
High‑altitude pilgrims will enjoy new solar‑powered shelters, improved trekking routes with clear signage, and a mobile health post that can be activated during pilgrimage season.
The remote shrine will receive better cable‑car connectivity, a new visitor information centre, and upgraded waste disposal units to keep the area clean during the peak months.
The Golden Temple will get enhanced security monitoring, improved seating arrangements for devotees, and a multilingual digital guide that explains the temple’s history and rituals.
The shrine of Dargah Sharif will see new footpaths, better lighting, and a dedicated transport hub that links bus routes to the dargah, making travel smoother for visitors.
The ancient city will benefit from upgraded sea‑side walkways, a new heritage walk app, and improved public restroom facilities to accommodate the influx during the Kartik month.
The Mahakaleshwar Temple will receive new audio‑tour guides, a digital ticketing system, and better crowd‑control fencing to protect the ancient architecture.
The birthplace of Lord Krishna will get upgraded heritage walk routes, improved parking, and a new information centre that explains the town’s myths and legends.
The town’s many temples will be linked by a pedestrian network, and new dharmshalas with clean water supplies will support the many visitors during Holi and Janmashtami.
The Bodhi Tree site will see improved visitor pathways, a mobile app that offers guided tours, and a new waste segregation system to keep the area tidy.
Known for its temples and silk, Kanchipuram will get better bus bays, upgraded public toilets, and a digital map of temple locations for tourists.
The shrine of Sai Baba will receive new parking spaces, a modern visitor reception hall, and an app that offers guided audio tours of the complex.
The hill‑top shrine will get improved trekking paths, solar lighting, and a new health check‑up station to cater to the large number of pilgrims during the pilgrimage season.
The Ranganathaswamy Temple will get upgraded visitor amenities, a digital queue system, and better lighting to preserve the historic structure.
The UNESCO‑listed temples will benefit from enhanced footpaths, a new visitor centre with multilingual guides, and improved waste management to protect the intricate carvings.
The shrine of the Sufi saint Khwaja Nizamuddin will see better road signage, upgraded dharmshala facilities, and a digital guide that explains the shrine’s history.
The Jain temples and the city’s heritage sites will get improved lighting, a new heritage walk app, and upgraded visitor information kiosks.
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