The Road Transport and Highway Ministry has put forward a special proposal to the government, seeking approval for a comprehensive plan aimed at improving connectivity to Ayodhya. This initiative involves the construction of a 68-kilometer greenfield bypass in Ayodhya and its adjacent regions, with an investment totaling Rs 3,570 crore. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated the bidding process for a 4/6 lane highway that will traverse through Lucknow, Basti, and Gonda districts.
The project, which is segmented into North Ayodhya and South Ayodhya bypasses, has been strategically devised to cater to the anticipated surge in both passenger and freight vehicle traffic following the inauguration of the Ram temple. It is projected that the daily vehicular movement will escalate from the current 89,023 vehicles to a staggering 2.17 lakh vehicles by 2033. The construction of these bypasses will be executed through a public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
Sources familiar with the matter have disclosed that the Road Ministry pursued special approval due to advisories from the finance ministry against launching any new ventures under Bharatmala for the time being. Furthermore, since the project surpasses the Rs 1,000 crore mark in terms of cost, it necessitates endorsement from an apex committee tasked with evaluating PPP projects. NHAI is committed to completing the construction within a timeframe of two-and-a-half years.
In a bid to bolster the infrastructural framework in and around the sacred town of Ayodhya, the Uttar Pradesh government has outlined plans to infuse Rs 85,000 crore for the metamorphosis of Ayodhya into a thriving economic and tourism center, as delineated in the Master Plan 2031. This redevelopment blueprint spans over a decade, with a primary emphasis on augmenting infrastructure and bolstering tourism. Notably, the district has already witnessed a substantial uptick in tourist footfall, surging from 0.6 crore in 2021-22 to 2.3 crore in 2022-23, thereby prompting the approval of additional proposals to escalate hotel bed capacity to 3,322.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Uttar Pradesh government's public works department are jointly spearheading projects amounting to Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 7,500 crore, respectively. Furthermore, the Ayodhya Dham Railway Station is slated for a comprehensive overhaul, incorporating modern amenities at an estimated cost of Rs 430 crore. Meanwhile, the recently inaugurated Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, which was unveiled in December at an expenditure of Rs 328 crore, is poised to serve as a convenient gateway for travelers seeking to explore the sacred precincts of Ayodhya.
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