Yogi Adityanath govt developing master plan for turning Ayodhya into 'Smart City'

LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has prepared a master plan for turning the ancient holy city of Ayodhya into a ''Smart City.'' It may be recalled that in November 2019, the UP government had agreed to develop seven municipal corporations, including Ayodhya and Gorakhpur, as ''smart cities.''

It was also agreed that each municipal corporation under the Smart City Project will be given Rs 50 crore. Apart from Ayodhya and Gorakhpur, the other five corporations included in the list were Meerut, Ghaziabad, Firozbad, Mahura-Vrindavan and Shahjahanpur. As part of the project, the master plan being readied by the UP government will focus on key development projects earmarked for completion in Ayodhya till 2031.

After the Supreme Court's favourable verdict in the politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, the Uttar Pradesh government has made elaborate plans to construct a resplendent destination in the temple town. There is a proposal to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya - his birthplace. 

The Mayor of Ayodhya, Rishikesh Upadhyay, has disclosed that the ancient holy city will be developed as a ''major pilgrimage centre'' under the Smart City Project.

The Ayodhya Mayor said that an Ayodhya Pilgrimage Development Council will also be set up which will be tasked with developing the city with the state-of-the-art modern infrastructure to promote tourism and connectivity.

Upadhyay said that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the top district and Uttar Pradesh government officials in coordination with the Central government had met and prepared a detailed roadmap for transformation of Ayodhya into a smart city.

he said that the state government aims to build Ayodhya as the biggest religious destination in North India with plans to constitute an ‘Ayodhya Tirtha Development Board’ to take this task further.

For the transformation of Ayodhya, the government will soon make air connectivity better in Ayodhya with an international airport with all modern state-of-the-art facilities. The Narendra Modi government at the Centre has already sanctioned 100 crore rupees for revamping the Ayodhya railway station. Moreover, a bus terminus with a capacity of 3,000 to 4,000 buses have also been proposed and is awaiting the Chief Minister’s approval.

Ayodhya was a town in Faizabad district before the Adityanath government renamed the entire district after it in 2018.

Sources in the Culture and Tourism Department had suggested that a 13-kilometre long corridor on the life of Lord Ram is also on the cards. A cruise on the Saryu river is also proposed, which will provide a scenic view to tourists and devotees who come to Ayodhya. Meanwhile, five-star hotels and resorts are also expected to come up in the temple town.

A proposal to include 42 nearby villages into Ayodhya has also been sent to the government by the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation. Earlier the proposal was to include only 22 villages. If sources are to be believed then the state government is likely to rope in a force of more than 2,000 labourers for the completion of construction of the Ram temple.

The Ayodhya district administration has also made an animation film showcasing how the holy city will be turned into a smart city in the times to come. This animation film will be shown to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his final approval.

A crucial meeting to discuss the Ayodhya Master Plan was held on Wednesday which was attended by District Magistrate Anuja Jha, Commissioner MP Agarwal and other state government officials.