Ayodhya's transformation in spotlight as development projects pick up pace

The sound of conch shells, bells and bhajans, emanating from hundreds of temples dotting Ayodhya's serpentine lanes is today lost in the loud noise of machinery and earthmovers, symbolising the ongoing transformation of an ancient city to a sprawling modern pilgrimage centre.

- Pawan Dixit

Along with the construction of a grand Ram temple, which is to be opened in January 2024, Ayodhya is also bracing for a major transformation, with the new Ayodhya bearing little or no resemblance with the old city that found mention in the Vedas.

The district administration is scrambling to meet tight deadlines to create a modern city which will attract tourists from all over the world. The under-construction international airport is expected to be ready by September 23; the Lucknow-Gorakhpur via Ayodhya Vande Bharat fast train was launched on July 7, covering approximately 135-km distance between Lucknow and Ayodhya in a little over four hours.

Development projects

The enormity of the ongoing development in the erstwhile temple town which wants to become a pre-eminent city on the Hindu pilgrimage circuit-one estimated to cost ₹32,000 crore approx - is evident as one enters Ayodhya from the Naya Ghat crossing, which is now called the Lata Mangeshkar crossing, where around 900 labourers are working around-the-clock to complete a ₹1,000-crore project for widening three roads.

Moving towards Hanuman Garhi, which lies to the east of the temple, one can see demolished old houses and shops on both sides of the road; the 13-km stretch from Naya Ghat to Sahadatganj is part of the road widening project in the temple town. This arterial road connecting Ayodhya Dham with Faizabad (now Ayodhya) is considered the lifeline of the city, and currently, it is all dug up.