Construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple will boost tourism in Uttar Pradesh and aid the economic development of Ayodhya. Ayodhya is the new destination for businesses and investments in the real estate sector.
Recent Developments due to Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya:
- India now has a spiritual centre that is equivalent to Mecca, Jerusalem, and Vatican City.
- The Ayodhya International Airport is spread over 6,500 square metres to cater to a million passengers every year.
- The railway station in Ayodhya was refurnished at a cost of Rs 240 crores.
- Indian Railways has also introduced 200 “Aastha Special Trains” to Ayodhya after 22 January.
- Ayodhya Development Authority revealed that the UP government is undertaking 187 projects in the beautification drive of Ayodhya, with a budget amounting to Rs. 30,570 crores.
- Under the Ayodhya Master Plan 2031, projects worth Rs 85,000 crore are in the pipeline to upgrade the town’s infrastructure.
- Top Hotel Chains have their eyes set on Ayodhya. More than 50 big hotel construction projects are underway in and around the Ram Janmabhoomi temple town. These include leading names in the hospital industry like the Taj, Oberoi, Trident, Marriott, Radisson, and Ginger.
- An estimate of 4 Crore pilgrims are set to visit Ayodhya this year. NRIs from various countries will come back home boosting foreign currency inflow.
- 102 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the Global Investors Summit, totalling around Rs 18,000 crore for tourism in Ayodhya.
The Ayodhya district had a rise in visitors from 0.6 crore in 2021–2022 to 2.3 crore in 2022–2023. The increase in tourism is expected to boost the local economy by generating income for businesses and opening up job possibilities and will contribute more than Rs. 3 Lakhs Crores to our GDP.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) claims that over INR 100,000 crore worth of business was done in India just from the occasion. Furthermore, there will be a sharp increase in religious tourism in Ayodhya now that the Ram Janmabhoomi temple is available to pilgrims as of January 23.
Here is what has been built and what is coming in the future.
The expansion of infrastructure includes water and power projects, renovated roads, and highway connections. Government projects worth INR 85,000 crore have been earmarked for the holy city alone. It is set to get the world’s largest Solar Powered Street Lights Line which will be powered by a 40 MW solar power plant. The solar initiatives include a 250 KW rooftop solar power project at Ayodhya Airport, a 50 KW project at a cow shelter solar-powered mobile phone charging points and drinking water kiosks. Solar trees of 1 KW and 2.5 KW capacity are being installed at 52 locations, including public parks in Ayodhya.
The Ayodhya International Airport is spread over 6,500 square metres and has become operational to cater to a million passengers every year. Additionally, the domestic capacity and international terminal will be developed to manage 6 million passengers by 2025. Moreover, chopper services will be started from 6 districts to Ayodhya.
The railway station in Ayodhya is being reconstructed on 5 acres of land into a 3-storey building for an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore with amenities such as airconditioned retiring rooms, dormitories, lodging rooms for the staff, and more. Indian Railways has also introduced 200 “Aastha Special Trains” to Ayodhya after 22 January.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is executing projects worth Rs 10,000 Crores. The Public Works Department (PwD) of the Uttar Pradesh Government has also undertaken 34 projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 7,500 Crore. A 4-lane road is being constructed to connect Ram Janmabhoomi Temple with the Gorakhpur – Lucknow Highway for an approximate cost of Rs. 45 Crore. There is also a plan to widen the road connected to Navya Ayodhya and Raja Dashrath Samadhi Sthal by 24 metres. The construction work of about 13-kilometre-long ‘Rampath’ from Sahadatganj to Naya Ghat is in progress.
150 Electric Buses and 25 green autorickshaws will be operational from the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on the paths of Dharma Path and Ram Path. Battery-operated carts will be available between Ram and Hanuman Temple. More than 650 e-carts will be deployed till March 2024.
Ayodhya is seeing the construction of numerous mutts, ashrams, dharmshalas, and commercial hotels in addition to road beautification and public infrastructure projects, spread over 1,200 acres and valued at Rs 2,180 crore.
In the city, around fifty large hotel developments are now under construction. Leading brands in the healthcare sector, including as the Taj, Oberoi, Trident, Marriott, Radisson, and Ginger, are among them. Additionally, The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL), a real estate company based in Mumbai, is building the first seven-star hotel in the world dedicated to vegetarianism in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently stated, “We have received 25 proposals to set up hotels in Ayodhya, one of the proposals is to build a pure vegetarian seven-star hotel.”
The goal of the Uttar Pradesh government is to transform Ayodhya into a major hub for tourism and business, with an investment of Rs 85,000 crore. According to a report prepared by the government, the reconstruction will be conducted as per the Master Plan 2031 and will be finished in ten years.
An estimated 10 million to 50 million visitors from all over the world are anticipated in Ayodhya in the coming years. This would support the growth of Ayodhya’s tourism industry and enable it to provide tourists with top-notch amenities.
Several banking and financial services institutions are expanding in Ayodhya to cater to the booming business that the pilgrimage centre is going to offer.
The UP government has invested ₹105.65 crore in multiple restoration and development projects to revitalize Ram Ki Paidi and give it a majestic fresh look. The Raja Dasharath Samadhi Sthal in Ayodhya has undergone an incredible makeover to improve visitors’ spiritual experiences. At Chaudhary Charan Singh Ghat, the UP government constructed the biggest floating screen in the nation. It was supposed to be installed at Aarti Ghat to display programs connected to Pran Pratishtha.
New tourist attractions in the city include the enlarged Ram Path, which has consistent building facades on both sides, ornate lamp posts with designs that mimic the ancient “Ramanadi tilak,” and the 40 Surya Stambhs constructed along Dharm Path and the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk.
Six-foot-tall by six-foot-wide, 3D and simple 4D illuminated laser-cut metal sculptures are being installed at different points throughout the city by the ADA. Ayodhya’s streets will become an open gallery once these items are installed.
The ‘Jatayu Cruise Service’ on the holy Saryu River has been introduced to make boating excursions more enjoyable for visitors and believers.
What Next?
There will be more jobs available as a result of the expansion of tourism and the building of infrastructure. The need for both skilled and unskilled labor has increased in the transportation, hotel, and numerous ancillary services sectors. In addition, the property market has already experienced a boom that is advantageous to the locals. The local population’s standard of living will be positively impacted by Ayodhya’s expansion, going beyond the religious and cultural areas owing to this economic diversification.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is predicted to increase tourism, which will bring in an estimated Rs 4 lakh crore as revenue for the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). UP has seen a transformation due to the increase in spiritual tourism, which has improved the state’s digital and physical infrastructure, made connectivity more accessible, and increased travel.
Uttar Pradesh’s economy will surpass $500 billion as India’s economy grows to $5 trillion by FY 2028. It is anticipated that by FY 2028, the GDP of Uttar Pradesh will be the second-highest share of India’s GDP, potentially surpassing that of Norway.
Also Read: India’s Thriving Tourism Sector: Growth, Government Support, and Future Outlook
