There is a time when visiting Ayodhya used to be a herculean task due to limited transportation and accommodation facilities. The civic amenities used to be almost negligible. However, as the Ram Temple is set to open in a few days, the once-forgotten city is getting a total facelift with an investment of Rs 50,000 Cr. A report by SURFACES REPORTER.
A rapidly expanding city
As per the Ayodhya Master Plan 2031, currently projects worth Rs 50,000 crore are in the various state of completion. These projects include airport, railway station, new township, roads and star-rated hotels.
The recently developed Maryada Purushottam Ram International Airport at Ayodhya is a design marvel based on the temple. It will commence operation in the next few days. When the temple will open on January 27, 2024, it will have direct connectivity to the Delhi Airport. Similarly, the railway station has also taken design cues from the temple and will open in January.
Government initiative
According to the Ayodhya Master Plan 2031, it is estimated that the population in the city will four-fold in the coming time. A Floating population of 1 lakh is estimated to be added to the city. This will add on to the current city resources which is why the civic agencies are working to scale up the amenities including roads, transportation, hospitality, housing etc.
It is estimated that being a pilgrim city, Ayodhya would attract senior citizens and their families. The Uttar Pradesh housing department has launched a 1,200-acre township which will be developed in phases with a budget of Rs 3,000 crore.
Private sector to boost the development plan
According to the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA), the govt has already sanctioned eight townships and 15 private hotels. Spanning the area of at least 1000 sq mt each, these projects will generate almost Rs 4500.
Recently, Cygnatt Hotels and Resorts have launched a hotel in Ayodhya as part of the development process. In addition, the House of Abhinandan Lodha (HOABL), is also planning to launch 25-acre, residential, plotted development project in January, 2024.
Similarly, private players from across the country have taken land in Ayodhya as well as its twin city Faizabad to set up hospitality, residential and mixed-use projects.
The investment from the private players has really upped the game in the city causing a steep rise in the rates of land. There is an almost 12- 20 times price jump in the land in the immediate vicinity of the temple.
According to data from Ayodhya's Stamp and Registration Department, property registrations have increased by more than four times between 2017-18 and 2021-22.The revenue generated by the department has risen to ? 15,631.33 lakh up till November this year from around 10,000 lakh in 2018-19.
SURFACES REPORTER's Analysis
As the city of Ram Lalla is gearing up for the temple inauguration, the development activities are still going to take a lot more time to complete. SURFACES REPORTER feels that the city is proving to be a gold mine of opportunity for every stakeholder including, developers, authorities, architects and designers who can take part in the development process. The next two years will be crucial as all the projects which are in pipeline are either going to start or complete soon. Ayodhya, in its 2.0 version has updated its demeanour and the future of the city is going to be better and brighter in the years to come.