New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 26 brought in his ‘catalyst for development’ image in the context of Ayodhya in a well-planned, organized strategy and emphasized that there should be a collective endeavor to celebrate the ‘identity of the sacred temple town.
At the review meeting of a comprehensive Ayodhya Development Plan, the Prime Minister said the coming generations “should feel the desire to visit Ayodhya at least once in their lifetime”.
He also said the way Lord Ram could bring people together, a spirit of healthy public participation should guide the development works of Ayodhya, especially by the youth”.
He pointed out that developmental works in Ayodhya will continue in the foreseeable future.
“At the same time, the momentum towards heralding Ayodhya to this next leap of progress must begin now.
It is our collective endeavor to celebrate the identity of Ayodhya and keep its cultural vibrancy alive through innovative ways,” Mr. Modi said, according to an official statement.
Ayodhya’s development is being envisaged as a Spiritual Centre, Global Tourism Hub, and a sustainable Smart City.
The moot idea is to promote Ayodhya – where God Ram was born – as a global religious tourism site.
The works broadly revolve around the development of the Saryu bank, the construction of roads linked to the temple, and the construction of a grand Ram Mandir.
The UP government officials made a presentation that encompassed various aspects of Ayodhya’s development.
The Prime Minister was informed about various upcoming and proposed infrastructure projects to improve connectivity with Ayodhya.
Various infrastructure projects were discussed, including an airport, the extension of a railway station, a bus station, roads, and highways.
A future Greenfield township was envisaged, which will feature lodging for devotees, land for Ashrams, Maths, Hotels, and Bhavans from other states. It also includes a tourist facilitation center, a world-class museum.
Special attention is being devoted to the development of infrastructure around the Saryu river and its ghats. Cruise operation on the Saryu river will also be made a regular feature.
The city will be developed to ensure sustainability with adequate spaces for cyclists and people on foot. Traffic management will also be done in a modern manner using Smart City infrastructure, the release said.
Mr. Modi described Ayodhya as a city that is etched in the cultural consciousness of every Indian.
“Ayodhya should manifest the finest of our traditions and the best of our developmental transformations.”
Erasing a dark chapter of India’s history vis-a-vis Sanatan polity, Prime Minister Modi on August 5, 2020, performed the Bhoomi pujan’ of a Supreme Court-mandated grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
In 1528 a structure called Babri Masjid was built by Mughal invaders and the same was grounded on Dec 6, 1992.
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement got a fillip in 1990 with the BJP president L K Advani’s Rath Yatra.
It is worth mentioning that on August 5, 2020, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said, “Ab Hamey apne man ki Ayodhya ka sajana hae (We have to now cleanse the heart or ‘ayodhya’ of our inner self)”.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and various other ministers of the UP Government were present in the meeting.
The Prime Minister said futuristic infrastructure, which is beneficial for everyone, must match the human ethos of this city, including tourists and pilgrims.
The Prime Minister called for the skills of talented youngsters to be leveraged in this development of the city.
The central government has already approved the Rs 100-crore modernization plan of the Ayodhya railway station.
Ayodhya will also have an international airport and the state government has released over Rs 321 crore for the land acquisition for the Maryada Purushottam Sriram Airport after Lord Ram.
The state government has also approved Rs 1,001.77 crore to purchase 555.66 acres of additional land for the construction of the international airport.
