Ayodhya: Dug-up roads, steamrollers, bulldozers, heaps of mud, and waterlogged lanes dot the landscape of Ayodhya. This upheaval is part of the metamorphosis that the Uttar Pradesh town is undergoing ahead of the opening of the Ram temple, the biggest poll promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the past three decades.
While the temple construction is slated for completion in January 2024, both the Modi and Yogi Adityanath governments have been pouring manpower and money into another big ambition: transforming the temple town into a world-class city.
Numerous infrastructure, redevelopment, and welfare projects worth a total of Rs 57,136.21 crore are currently underway to transform the town and its surrounds into an international religious tourism destination, said Ayodhya MP Lallu Singh earlier this month at a press conference to mark nine years of the Modi government.
Although there are various projects for ‘beautification’ and public amenities in the works, the lion’s share of infra projects are dedicated to enhancing connectivity in Ayodhya.
These plans encompass a new airport, the expansion of Ayodhya and Ayodhya Cantt railway stations, the proposed redevelopment of Darshannagar and Bharakund railway stations elsewhere in the district, an upgraded bus station, various inter- and intra-city road projects, and even provisions for a Ramayana-themed boat ride facility.
“We are trying to expand connectivity at a huge level because two to three lakh visitors are expected to reach Ayodhya after the opening of the temple,” Ayodhya district magistrate Nitish Kumar told ThePrint. He said authorities were working constantly to build the city’s capacity ahead of the grand ceremony.
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Air, road, rail— double engine in full throttle
Being built at a cost of Rs 1,175 crore, the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport aims to put Ayodhya on the international aviation map.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) expects to begin operations of its first terminal this year, pending the necessary licensing and the removal of obstacles around both ends of the runway by the district administration, according to AAI project in-charge Rajeev Kulshreshtha.
Heavy investments have also been made in the railways and roadways sectors, with the central government undertaking a substantial portion of the work through the Indian Railways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
According to figures shared by the Ayodhya MP in a Twitter thread this month, the Indian Railways is revamping existing facilities and also creating new infrastructure, with an outlay of about Rs 4,372 crore. This includes doubling of rail tracks, construction of six rail over bridges (ROBs), and electrification projects.
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मा॰ प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi के मार्गदर्शन में मा॰ मुख्यमंत्री श्री @myogiadityanath के नेतृत्व में अयोध्या के सर्वांगीण विकास हेतु संचालित विभिन्न परियोजनाएँ जो निमन्वत हैं..#9YearsOfModiGovernment #9YearsOfSeva pic.twitter.com/EKODni758K
— Lallu Singh (@LalluSinghBJP) June 4, 2023
Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has infrastructure projects worth about Rs. 37,195 crore in the pipeline or currently under execution.
The Uttar Pradesh government is also investing about Rs 4,684 crore to build new roads and bridges in and around Ayodhya, as well as to expand existing ones. Additionally, it is contributing to the construction of railway over bridges.
Following the path of PM Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi, the waterway sector in Ayodhya is set to get a boost too, with a modern houseboat service proposed for the Naya Ghat to Guptar Ghat water route.
‘First flight this year’
The first terminal of the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport is expected to start operations this year.
The first phase of the runway construction is “almost 100 per cent complete” and about 70 per cent of the work on the terminal building has been done, said AAI project in-charge Rajeev Kulshreshtha, speaking to ThePrint.
“By 31 August, we will be able to complete the civil, electrical, and IT-related works. Preparation is going on for the night-landing facility which will be calibrated by August-end, after which we will be able to apply for a license for operation from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). The licensing will take one or two months,” Kulshreshtha added.
The DGCA gives an air operator certificate (AOC) or license after an inspection of the airport.
For the AAI to send its application to the DGCA for the license, Kulshreshtha said the district authorities will first have to clear the obstacles in the funnel zone along both ends of the runway.
The funnel zone is an imaginary flight path that extends upwards and outwards on both sides of the runway, while obstacles are defined as all fixed and mobile objects located in the area intended for the surface movement of an airplane.
Speaking to ThePrint, Ayodhya DM Nitish Kumar said that a survey was underway for identifying the obstacles, some of which may be privately owned.
“The extended area (around the runway) is being checked,” he said.
Kumar said that it is expected that the first flight from the airport will take off this year.
The airport will be able to accommodate 300 passengers simultaneously, according to Kulshreshtha. He noted that at least two or three flights would have to be operated daily to serve the expected influx of visitors to Ayodhya following the opening of the Ram temple.
Preparing roads for influx of pilgrims
If you drive into the limits of Ayodhya district now, the dusty winds will ensure you emerge with a powder of dirt on your face and hair.
In the city, there is a constant hum of construction machines, frequent road closures, potholes caused by digging, and waterlogging in the lanes. Residents can often be spotted sprinkling water in and around their homes and shops because of all the construction dust.
This is most evident near the three main roads connecting the Ram temple site with the rest of Ayodhya — Ram Path, Janmabhoomi Path, and Bhakti Path.
Arguably the most important of the three is Ram Path, a 13-km arterial corridor connecting the iconic Naya Ghat on the Sarayu River with the Sahadatganj locality, which links Ayodhya with the Gorakhpur highway.
Navigating it is a challenge for residents as well as those heading towards Ram Janmabhoomi and the Hanuman Garhi temple. Numerous civil works here have been making slow progress, including the construction of stormwater drains on both sides and a utility duct for underground electricity wiring.
“The main thing is the utility duct. Once it is complete, we will be relieved because this work can get affected in the rainy season ahead. If we get complete road closure here one more time, we will be able to complete it,” said SP Singh, site engineer at Ram Path.
“Since one of the pipelines is located in the median area, the work is taking time,” said another official of the company executing the project.
Last month, state Public Works Department minister Jitin Prasada reportedly reviewed the progress of the work and sought an explanation from officials about why it was running behind schedule. CM Yogi Adityanath, too, inspected the work progress last week.
Speaking to ThePrint, DM Nitish Kumar said that while the official deadline for completion of the corridor was March 2024, it has now been advanced to December 2023 keeping in view the opening of the Ram temple.
“Work on the Janmabhoomi Path (566 m) and Bhakti Path (742 m) is also going on. In the second stage, we will construct the Dharma Path, 14 Kosi Parikrama Marg, and 5 Kosi Parikrama Marg,” he added.
Other ongoing road development projects include the four-laning of the Ayodhya-Bilharghat, Ayodhya-Baskhari, Ayodhya bypass-Mohbra bazaar roads, as well as the NH-330 to the airport.
Additionally, the state government is constructing six entry gates and bridges over rivers Kalyani, Gomti, and Rari. A 67.5-km-long ring road connecting Ayodhya, Gonda, and Basti is also in the works, undertaken by NHAI with a total cost of Rs 4,793.88 crore, according to figures shared by MP Lallu Singh.
Railway revamp
In preparation for increased passenger traffic on the rail routes to Ayodhya, the central government is expanding the two existing railway stations in Ayodhya, doubling tracks, constructing rail over bridges, and redeveloping two other railway station buildings at Darshannagar and Bharatkund in the district at a cumulative outlay of about Rs 4,372 crore.
Of this, the electrification of three railway tracks — Ayodhya-Mankapur, Ayodhya Cantt-Sultanpur, and Barabanki-Ayodhya-Akbarpur— has been completed at a cost of Rs 497 crore.
According to the project details shared by MP Lallu Singh, the existing three-platform Ayodhya railway station is being redeveloped into the Ayodhya Dham railway station, complete with “world-class facilities” and six platforms. This project is being undertaken in two phases, estimated to cost Rs 240.89 crore and Rs 498 crore respectively.
DM Nitish Kumar said that one terminal building has already been completed under phase one of this project, and there the other side will be expanded next.
“Now, it has to be expanded on the second side for which 45 acres of land has been given to the railways by the district administration. They will increase tracks and lanes on that side. Also, a concourse to link both the terminals will be constructed,” he said.
The tendering process is on for the redevelopment of Darshannagar and Bharatkund railway stations under the Ministry of Railways’ Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, according to the documents shared by the MP on social media.
In addition to these projects, the Barabanki-Ayodhya-Akbarpur-Jafrabad railway track is currently undergoing doubling work with a budget of Rs. 1,792.44 crore.
Ayodhya is also witnessing the construction of six rail over bridges, jointly undertaken by the central and state governments, for which Indian Railways is shelling out Rs 725.61 crore and the state government is spending Rs.515.60 crore.
Among major projects in the pipeline is the proposed development of a 134.213-km railway line from Ayodhya Cantt to Raibareli, requiring an investment of Rs 2.5 lakh crore.
‘Ramayana’ boat ride
Devotees may soon have the option to go on boat journeys on the Sarayau River from Naya Ghat to Guptar Ghat, previously considered cut off from the rest of Ayodhya.
The district administration plans to introduce a modern houseboat facility, similar to the kind on offer in Varanasi.
Two boats will offer rides to Raj Ghat, Laxman Ghat, Ram Ghat, and Janki Ghat, where devotees will get a glimpse of the various episodes of the Ramayana through folk dances, displays, and so on.
According to reports, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has conducted two surveys— one in December 2020 and one in May 2023— to explore the feasibility of the boating service.
The boats are being built by Kerala-based NavAlt Solar & Electric Boats and the rides will be managed by Alaknanda Cruiseline, which runs cruises in Varanasi, according to a Live Hindustan report.
Hotel boom on the horizon
The Ayodhya district administration is fast-tracking the approval process for new hotels in anticipation of flocks of visitors post the Ram temple’s opening.
DM Kumar told ThePrint that the administration has given approvals to 30 new hotels and is expediting the process of expanding existing ones as part of the first phase of “Ayodhya Pariyojana”, an initiative to develop 1,400 acres in Ayodhya into a tourism hub with various residential, commercial, and cultural facilities.
“Among the new accommodations, there will be 5-star and 3-star hotels. We want big chains to enter the sector. Many existing hotels want to expand their business and we are expediting that process,” Kumar added.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
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