Agartala, February 22 Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Sunday that the number of devotees visiting the Tripura Sundari temple in the Gomati district has significantly increased since Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the renovated shrine last year.
Modi had visited the temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, in September last year, inaugurated the renovated complex, and offered prayers.
An amount of ₹32 crore was spent on the shrine's redevelopment.
Saha said that the temple previously saw an average daily footfall of around 4,000 devotees.
"I told him that the number of devotees visiting the Tripura Sundari temple would increase after his visit. Now, the temple records a daily footfall of 7,000 to 8,000 devotees, according to available information. The Prime Minister's visit has given global recognition to the temple, attracting more people to the shrine," he said while addressing a party gathering in Mohanpur, West Tripura, on the occasion of the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme.
Referring to the stampede during the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh in January last year, the chief minister said that several pilgrims had died in the incident.
"After the incident, devotees stopped visiting the Sangam ghat out of fear. Learning about the situation, the PM went there and took a holy dip at the Sangam to send a message that all is well. Subsequently, pilgrims resumed visiting the holy place," he said.
Saha said that it was Modi who had transformed the Northeast in terms of all-round development.
"The PM has renamed the Look East Policy as the Act East Policy to accelerate development. He has also given the HIRA (Highways, I-Ways, Railways and Airways) model to the Northeast region," he said.