The way the people of Ayodhya love their city can only be found in a small town. And if you are wondering if this love is new found you might be mistaken. Yes, the city has perhaps become the centre of the world off late but it was always the darling of its residents. They love it now and they adored it when it was just lost in oblivion and a victim of government apathy. The wait to see Ayodhya regain its glory has been a long one. And now when all these development projects are flowing this way, it only feels justified. In about three years’ time when Ayodhya would stand in her full glory, these iconic projects would surely be the jewels of pride in the city. Here is our list of top 5.
Shree Ram International Airport
The city always had an air strip which mostly catered to choppers and chartered planes of VIPs. A pilot training school started operating from here recently. The little plane that hovers in the air on most evenings is quite popular in the immediate neighbourhood. With an international airport just 120 odd kilometres off in Lucknow, it seemed highly unlikely that Ayodhya airstrip would see better in days in future. But Yogi Adityanath’s sheer affection and relentless persuasion has finally brought in the good news. A full-fledged international airport named after Shree Ram is finally taking shape.
The government believes the construction of Ram Temple would see a heavy inflow of international and interstate tourists and it’s only indispensable to have an operational airport in the religious capital of India. A whopping 525 crore rupees budget has already been sanctioned by the state government for the airport.
The land acquisition process for the same is nearing completion. However, a few voices of concern were reported from some villages falling in the circle. Relevant authorities have already been instructed to speed out the process and address the grievances in an effective and timely manner. The new airport would spread to about 600 acres which is about half the size of Lucknow Airport which stands at 1261 acres. Once completed the Shree Ram Airport would be equipped to cater to some of the largest aircrafts in service including a Boeing 777.
Shree Ram Statue – tallest in the world
The proposed Lord Ram statue is poised to dwarf every other statue in the world, much like how Ram’s stature dwarfs that of any other being who has walked this earth. The gigantic statue is estimated to cost about 2500 crore rupees. A lot many naysayers consider this as waste of money. One can’t do much but wonder where they were when a past leader plastered cities with her own statues and that of elephants. The proposed statue would attract droves of tourists and would be a source of revenue for the state unlike the elephants.
The statue is designed to be an enormous 251 meters tall with premises covering an area of 100 acres. It would be made up of bronze and picture Lord Ram in his warrior attire, holding a bow with full glory.
The lord Ram statue would hold a museum in its base. Proper landscaping would be done around the statue and facilities for tourists would be constructed. The the planned height for the statue has been increased from time to time over the years to do justice with the magnificence of Ram its set to depict.
Guptar Ghat – Naya Ghat River Front
guptar ghat to naya ghat ayodhya river front
The residents of Ayodhya know they had a natural river front even before it became a fashion. The scenic beauty of Guptar Ghat and the parks alongside it have always been a weekend getaway for the locals. Just the thought of those delicious fritters and litti chokha could make anybody who knows the place drool. Imagine sitting by the majestic Saryu River gazing at the sunset and sipping tea –that little doze of bliss is a normal in this beautiful city. And as the plans suggest, things are only going to get better.
The Yogi government plans to develop the 7 KM stretch from Guptar Ghat to Naya Ghat as river front, much like the Gomti River Front in the capital. Work for the same has already started. There are plans to develop smooth pavements and street-lit the entire bank. And it doesn’t end there. If all things go well, you could get lucky to board a luxury cruise for an hour and half long journey that would culminate at Naya Ghat.
Theme Park, Resorts and Hotels
Not very long ago an ‘out of the world’ kind of eye theme park was planned in Ayodhya. The park was designed to be a mini replica of the Ram Setu, depicting Lanka on one side and India on the other. Alongside the park a resort was also proposed to come up. However, the construction stands stalled at the moment after the DM Anuj Jha found certain irregularities. One can only hope the matter is sorted sooner than later and construction resumed as per norms.
However, the good news is the theme park is not the only thing coming up in Ayodhya. Recently the government in UP received about 20 proposals for setting up hotels and resorts in the temple town. It is believed the list comprises of 5 star and theme based hotels. The government is already reviewing all these proposals. Ayodhya already receives over 20 million pilgrims every year. And it’s only going to increase in coming years. More hotels are a must!
And of course, The Grand Ram Mandir
If you haven’t just come out of a cave, you already know about this one. It’s easily the biggest religious event India has ever seen post-independence. The construction of the grand Ram Temple is in full swing and is expected to be completed within 3 years. People of Ayodhya feel the soul of the city which was long gone has been reinstated with this glorious temple at the birth place of Ram.
As test pillars are being erected at the site, a gigantic 2100 Kg ‘ashtdhatu’ bell is on its way from Tamil Nadu for the Ram Mandir. It’s being said the soothing sound of the bell can be heard from as far as 15 KMs!
The temple is set to be 161 m tall supported by 1200 pillars. The Ayodhya Development Authority has already approved the construction which is being supervised by the construction giant L&T.; It must be noted as a matter of praise, the company is not charging any fee for the same. It is being ensured with strict measures that the temple stands the tide of time for a minimum of 1000 years.
The list of development projects in Ayodhya goes long. A swanky new railway station and a fancy bus stand is also being constructed at full pace. Ram theme based landscaping is proposed across the city. There is so much more that could have found a mention in this post. At last, all that can be said with full certainty is that no spiritual city in India or anywhere else in the world would be able to match the grandeur of Ayodhya once it achieves its full might.
