Plans to widen the historic Dalmandi road near the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi have gathered pace, with 181 property owners receiving notices that the project has been officially approved and their buildings would be affected. The Public Works Department (PWD), which has been entrusted with the task, has set up a camp office-cum-help desk to assist these property owners — guiding them through the process of document submission, verification, and compensation-related formalities. This is the second-largest development project in Varanasi after the redevelopment of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, undertaken since the BJP came to power in the state. The plan is to widen the road from its current 3-4 metres to 17.4 metres. Government officials had earlier said the project, cleared in July, is essential due to the steep rise in tourists and pilgrims visiting the temple and nearby ghats since the corridor’s development. The notice, issued on Sunday, stated that the widening and strengthening of Dalmandi Road had been officially approved. It informed property owners that their buildings would be affected by the project and requested them to submit valid ownership documents — municipal corporation records, electricity bills, land purchase deeds, or any other ownership papers — to the designated office in three days. This step, the notice added, was necessary to initiate compensation or payment procedures for affected land and building owners in accordance with government regulations. “The camp office has been set up to make it convenient for property owners to submit their documents and to address any queries they may have regarding the process,” said K K Singh, Executive Engineer, PWD. On Monday, the office, set up within the premises of the Chowk police station near Dalmandi, saw no visitors — no property owners came forward to seek information or submit documents. An official said they are observing how people respond to the notices and the opening of the camp office as the issue needs to be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding. Located in the heart of Varanasi’s Old City, 300 metres from the temple, Dalmandi is considered to be at least 200 years old. One of Varanasi’s busiest shopping areas, the 650-metre stretch has around 500 shops — most of which are owned by members of the Muslim community — selling everything from home decor to bridal accessories. Meanwhile, property owners continued to flag concerns. Several cited a lack of clarity on how compensation will be determined, especially as many of the affected buildings are old and have complex ownership histories. Shahbuddin, a shopkeeper, said, “The PWD has pasted notices on several buildings in the area. We shopkeepers are discussing what steps should be taken next.” It is not just the owners who are concerned; tenants in the area are particularly anxious about their future. Most shops along the Dalmandi Road are rented properties, with leases that have been passed down through generations. Since tenants are not entitled to compensation, they fear losing their livelihoods once the widening work begins. In September, The Indian Express had reported that the Varanasi Municipal Corporation instructed the PWD to deduct any pending property tax dues from the compensation that will be paid to owners of buildings marked for partial or complete demolition. The municipal corporation had said that nearly Rs 2.28 crore in dues, including house tax, water and sewer charges, were pending against 170 of the 187 structures identified for the widening project. But owners of the premises had protested the move, calling it “double harassment”, as they would lose both part of their property and compensation. Urging all affected parties to engage with the authorities, Additional District Magistrate of Varanasi, Vandita Srivastava, said, “If property owners do not have the required documents, they should still come to the camp and bring it to our notice.” An official added that the road-widening project will also include footpaths for pedestrians besides upgrades to sewer and water pipelines, electricity lines, gas pipelines, broadband, and telephone cables, with most of these utilities being moved underground.
