Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to pay obeisance at Ravidas temple on February 19 on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti. He had earlier visited the temple in February 2016. The Guru Ravidas Janmsthan Charitable Trust (GRJCT) has sent an invitation to PM in this regard.The district administration has started making necessary preparations for the PM’s likely visit to the temple in Seer Gowardhanpur area, the birth place of Sant Ravidas. The district officials have also started the process of constructing helipad for Modi’s public meeting here after inspection of an open land at Audhey village along Varanasi-Allahabad national highway-2.When TOI contacted GRJCT’s trustee and coordinator Kishanlal Saroa, he said, “The trust has sent a formal invitation to the PM for Ravidas Jayanti celebrations on February 19. The confirmation of his participation is awaited. All other preparations have been started and the main fair of birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Ravidas at his birth place will start with the arrival of the trust’s chairman and head of All India Ravidasiya Dharm, Sant Gyandas Maharaj from February 18 and will continue for another two days. After rituals and flag hoisting, Sant Gyandas will go to main pandal. If the PM arrives, he will also visit the main pandal and address the gathering as he did in 2016.”Modi had taken part in Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in February 2016 when he shared dais with Sant Gyandas and addressed the gathering after offering prayers at Ravidas temple. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had also visited the temple same day.District magistrate Surendra Singh along with Varanasi municipal corporation, tourism, health and PWD officials camped at the site of PM’s public meeting on Monday. After finalizing the spots for the main dais and helipad, the DM held a meeting and assigned tasks to officials directing them to complete all preparations by February 17.Later, Singh told TOI, “The preparations have been geared up for the PM’s visit. PM is likely to visit Seer Gowardhanpur, Diesel Locomotive Works and Audhey.”As per the tentative itinerary of the PM’s visit, preparations have been started for the inauguration and foundation laying of 31 projects worth over Rs 2,100 crore by him at Audhey, Singh added.

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