The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government and a committee managing the Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj temple at Vrindavan in Mathura to draw a holistic development plan to provide easier access and better facilities to devotees.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the State should “come forward” for the development of “secular infrastructure facilities” in and around the temple complex.

The court pointed out that more infrastructure and facilities for visitors would mean the acquisition of more land for widening the access road to the temple.

It would also require regulating the commercial activities in and around the temple, providing basic facilities for devotees such as a dharamshala, hospital, resting places, restaurants, public transport in the form of electric vehicles for senior citizens and disabled persons, women and children and any other facility the State found appropriate.

“The committee and the State have to prepare a development plan of the entire area and submit before us,” the court directed.

The court urged the committee administering the temple to ensure that the proper and traditional religious practices and rituals are followed and to frame measures for crowd control and day-to-day functioning of the religious place. The Bench remarked that the area within the temple complex must be maintained well, and visitors should retain a civic sense and not litter the place of worship.

The court allowed the nomination of two members each from the two groups of Goswamis — Shayan Bhog and Raj Bhog — and allowed them to give suggestions to the committee.

The court had constituted a committee headed by a retired Allahabad High Court judge to administer the temple in August last year. It had stayed the operation of a State ordinance taking over the management of the temple.