Ernst & Young to manage KVT complex in Varanasi

Varanasi, Nov 1 The task of designing, managing revenue generation and upkeep of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham (corridor) project has been entrusted to the London-based Ernst & Young.

A team from Ernst & Young, one of the largest professional services networks in the world, made its first presentation before Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board on Sunday.

The firm will also develop IT solutions and software for crowd management in the premises.

The remaining construction and finishing work of over Rs 700 crore of Kashi Vishwanath Dham project is in full swing and is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December.

Ernst & Young has been roped in to design the model for revenue generation to assist the operations and maintenance of all the establishments in the corridor except Kashi Vishwanath temple which is looked after by the KV Temple Trust.

Board's Chairman and Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal said, "E&Y was appointed consultant through tender process for preparing a model for operations and maintenance of KV Dham in mid-October. The company gave its first presentation and we have made some suggestions in the proposed model which will be incorporated in the next presentation on November 10. Till then, the process for calling request for proposal (RFP) and expression of interest (EOI) will be completed."

The trust looks after the affairs of KV Temple through donations that can be used for the temple only. The area of campus has now been expanded to 5 lakh square feet in which 23 major buildings, including Mandir Chowk, guest houses, multipurpose hall, clinic and hospice, pilgrim facility centres, 70 shops, Varanasi gallery and museum, cafeteria and toilets are being constructed.

Once the project is inaugurated and thrown open to public, it would require revenue for daily operations and maintenance, the commissioner said.

The company has estimated that about Rs 27 crore would be needed per annum for providing all services, facilities and maintenance of KV Dham.

The company will also develop an IT solution and software for crowd management. "People will not have to stand for hours in queues to enter KVT as a software being developed will issue tokens with half an hour time slots. The pilgrims can visit other facilities in KV Dham instead of standing in queue," Agrawal explained.

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