Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Sambhal is the sacred land of Lord Kalki and Lord Harihar. Sambhal is a symbol of our faith. “Hari” and “Har” refer to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, and Harihar is the place where both can be collectively worshipped together. According to our holy scriptures, the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu will take place in Sambhal. We have come among you today to link Sambhal’s development with progress. The people of Sambhal are being given the gift of clean drinking water, roads, tourism facilities, district headquarters, Anganwadi centers, higher and vocational education, and composite schools.
Sambhal and Uttar Pradesh are moving forward towards progress, he said. The Chief Minister was expressing his views in Bahjoi, Sambhal district, after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 222 development projects worth ₹659 crore. These include the foundation stone for the non-residential Collectorate building and residential buildings for the district headquarters. Prior to this, he performed a Bhoomi Pujan for the District Magistrate’s office and other non-residential works in the Collectorate complex and planted a Harishankari sapling under the “One Tree in Mother’s Name” campaign.
In the program, the CM distributed symbolic house keys, certificates to the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, and symbolic loan cheques under the CM Yuva Yojana. He also conducted the Annaprashan ceremony for children and visited the exhibition showcasing archaeological artifacts found during excavations in Sambhal. Girls tied Rakhi to him, and he blessed them with chocolates. Yogi Adityanath said that although Sambhal was declared a district in 2011, it had no district headquarters or police lines for 14 years. “We have sanctioned ₹288 crore for the police lines, which are under construction.
An integrated complex on 80 acres is being built to house all district-level offices under one roof, providing all facilities to the public. A 4-lane connectivity will also be provided between Sambhal and the district headquarters,” he added. Referring to scriptures, he said the Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran, written 5,000 years ago by Ved Vyas after the Mahabharata war for peace and salvation, mentions that Lord Vishnu will take his tenth incarnation as Kalki. The Skanda Purana states that in Satyug the place was called Satyavrat, in Treta Mahadgiri, in Dwapar Pingal, and in Kalyug Sambhal.
Chandausi is recognized as “Chhoti Kashi.” Skanda Purana also describes Sambhal as located between the rivers Bhagirathi Ganga and Ram Ganga, within a radius of 36 km. He emphasized that Sambhal once had 68 pilgrimage sites, 19 sacred wells, and circumambulation routes, which were destroyed and desecrated by foreign invaders. The double-engine government has decided to restore all pilgrimage sites, wells, and routes. “Development is meaningful only when it is connected to heritage,” he said.
Drawing parallels, he noted how temples like Somnath in Gujarat and Vishwanath in Kashi, destroyed by invaders, were restored by Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, who also worked for Sambhal’s revival. Under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham has been transformed, and the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has become a reality after 500 years. “Similarly, Sambhal will see both development and restoration of this holy site of Lord Kalki and Lord Harihar,” he said.
Yogi Adityanath announced that on August 8–10, all women with one companion will be able to travel for free on UPSRTC and city buses across the state as a Raksha Bandhan gift. He also highlighted the government’s welfare measures, providing ration, housing, education for girls, health insurance up to ₹5 lakh, and marriage grants up to ₹1 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana. He spoke about law and order improvements, stating that earlier each district had its own mafia and riots were common, making women and traders unsafe. “Today, all citizens are safe, except rioters, who face strict action,” he said.
Mentioning upcoming festivals, Raksha Bandhan on August 9, Kakori Train Action Martyrs’ Day, Independence Day on August 15, and Shri Krishna Janmashtami on August 16, he quoted, “For the protection of the righteous and the destruction of the wicked, the Lord comes again and again. Lord Kalki will surely appear in Sambhal.” He praised the courage of Sambhal’s people, who endured riots and misrule in the past without straying from their mission, and assured that the government is fully committed to preserving and developing Sambhal’s heritage.
Earlier, he reviewed the progress of the Kalki Teerth development works, launched the “Sambhal Samvad” app for citizens to raise issues with the administration from home, and provided updates on local services. Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi called it a fortunate day for Sambhal, praising the CM’s leadership, welfare for widows, disabled, and elderly, and efforts for youth employment. She requested overbridges in Bahjoi and Chandausi.
Minister of State for Home Guards Dharampal Prajapati lauded the government’s achievements since 2017 in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and law enforcement. Legislative Council member Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary hailed the CM’s visit as a major boost to Sambhal’s development and heritage restoration. The event was attended by Agriculture Minister Baldev Singh Aulakh, other public representatives, and senior officials.
