By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday inaugurated the first phase of the Rs 185.20 crore Sharda riverbank development project at Tanakpur in Champawat district of Uttarakhand.
“The Sharda Corridor Project is a center of our faith, culture, heritage, and sustainable development,” the CM said at a function in Tanakpur.
The Chief Minister said the Sharda project would help develop Banbasa-Mata Rankochi area as a beautiful confluence of religion, nature, and employment. “This land will no longer be merely a center of faith, but will also usher in a new wave of economic prosperity and opportunities in the lives of the people in the area,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the first phase of the Sharda riverfront redevelopment project is being initiated to transform the banks of the Sharda River into an environmentally sensitive, clean, safe, and attractive environment. Under this project, safe bathing ghats, aarti sites, sanitation and resting facilities, beautiful ghats, accessible access roads, footpaths, lighting, and beautification work will be undertaken.
The Chief Minister stated that the aarti site will be built using international technology, featuring modern amenities such as rainwater harvesting and floor cooling systems. Flood-resistant structures will regulate the flow of the river to ensure the safety of the surrounding areas.
The Chief Minister stated that this project will inject new impetus into religious tourism, the local economy, and employment generation. He described it as a unique model from social, cultural, and environmental perspectives, which will serve as a symbol of development for the entire region.
The Chief Minister said some areas of the Sharda Corridor Project fall within forest land, and the land transfer process is underway.