Dumka: Chief Minister Hemant Soren has inaugurated four new roads in Jharkhand aimed at promoting religious tourism and improving access to prominent pilgrimage sites such as Deoghar, Basukinath, and Rajrappa. The development is part of the state government’s broader strategy to enhance economic growth and create employment opportunities for local communities.
The inauguration took place at the airport premises during the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Jharkhand’s formation. The newly constructed roads are expected to significantly improve connectivity to key religious sites, ensuring easier access for devotees and tourists alike.
Improved Access to Pilgrimage Destinations
The newly inaugurated roads include:
- Sirsanath Road, Jama Block: Connecting the famous Sirsanath Shiva Temple, facilitating smoother travel for devotees from surrounding villages.
- Sukhjora Nagnath Temple Road, Jarmundi Block: Providing easy access to one of the region’s historic temples.
- Shumbheshwarnath Temple Road, Saraiyahat Block: Enhancing connectivity to this ancient temple, benefiting residents and pilgrims.
With the completion of these roads, connectivity around Basukinath has improved, enabling devotees to visit multiple temples seamlessly after performing rituals at Basukinath Dham.
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Key Infrastructure Upgrades
Apart from the religious tourism roads, CM Soren inaugurated an intermediate lane road in Dumka designed to alleviate traffic congestion during the historic Rajkiya Janjatiya Hijla Mela. This road is expected to resolve long-standing traffic issues and provide uninterrupted access for visitors.
New Road Projects Laid for Rural Development
In addition to inaugurations, the CM laid the foundation for three new roads aimed at accelerating rural development:
- Tongra–Maheshbathan via Jaytara Road, Ranishwar Block: Length 21.619 km; estimated cost ₹1662.709 lakh.
- Bermasia PWD Road to Shahghati: Length 8.130 km; estimated cost ₹4493.318 lakh.
- Karmatand–Bhogtandi Road: Length 7.775 km; estimated cost ₹3581.442 lakh.
These projects are expected to strengthen rural infrastructure and promote regional economic prosperity.
Ease of Travel for Devotees
The Jama–Barapalsi road with a bridge over the Mayurakshi River spans 5.975 km with a cost of ₹6060.200 lakh. It will facilitate access to Sirsanath Temple and significantly reduce travel distance from Jama Block to Palasi Panchayat by 15 km.
The Dengadih–Banwara–Domandiha road (13.025 km; ₹4915.870 lakh) will act as a bypass for Basukinath Dham’s western region, reducing traffic congestion on the main NH-114A route and providing smoother travel to nearby temples.
The Saraiyahat–Shumbheshwarnath Temple road (4.983 km; ₹3827.942 lakh) will benefit villages such as Amri, Belidhab, Motihara, and Dhauni by connecting the Shumbheshwarnath Temple to Jarmundi and Niemanath Beldaha Temple circuit roads.
Finally, the 6.75 km road connecting Old Dumka, Hijla Mela, Bal Sudhar Grih Path, Dishom Guru to Mortanga Path (₹1470.709 lakh) will permanently resolve traffic congestion issues during the annual Hijla Mela, benefitting residents of Dumka, Hijla, Mortanga, Bedia, and surrounding villages.
About Jharkhand’s Religious Tourism Drive
The state government believes that improving connectivity to key pilgrimage destinations will significantly boost religious tourism, thereby fostering economic growth, generating employment, and uplifting local communities. CM Hemant Soren emphasized that these initiatives are part of Jharkhand’s long-term vision to enhance infrastructure and promote the state as a key religious tourism hub.
