Uttar Pradesh (UP) Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday ordered state government officials to draw up an elaborate plan for a world-class and global publicity campaign for the Ram temple under construction in Ayodhya.
The Ram temple would open up new prospects for tourism in the near future, he said while addressing one of two meetings held via videoconference to review ongoing projects in the temple city and Ayodhya division in eastern UP. .
He said in the other video conference that the shrine would give Ayodhya a new identity. The need of the moment is to develop Ayodhya as a “solar city” in an attempt to conserve the environment.
Ayodhya is known worldwide as the birthplace of Lord Ram and has immense mythological significance. All urbanization works in the city must be carried out keeping its ancestral culture intact. Ayodhya, once developed, will also stimulate the development of the other districts in the eastern UP region, ”he said.
“All the ghats of Ayodhya must be preserved and beautified. A bank should develop that runs from Guptar Ghat to Naya Ghat. The next multi-level parking project should tap into its commercial potential. The work on the underground electrical cables must also be accelerated, ”he added.
The CM emphasized the continuous movement of tourists and pilgrims in the ancient temple city. “Build two bus stations in Ayodhya and develop the ‘Panchkosi’, ‘Chaudahkosi’ and ‘Chaurasikosi’ parikramas (ring roads) around Ayodhya in an attempt to decongest them. Expand all Ayodhya roads as a priority. The Ram-Janaki road must be built as a world-class facility, ”he told officials who attended the video conference.
His call to action included the opening of more hotels in Ayodhya, as the influx of tourists and pilgrims will increase in the temple city in the near future.
“A greater number of tourists and pilgrims will generate employment opportunities for the local population,” Yogi said.
Facilities in dharmshalas and toilets also need to be updated, he added.
“The temple city should have a proper drainage system. Accelerate the airport construction project in Ayodhya, ”the CM ordered the officials concerned.
Later that day, Yogi chaired Ayodhya’s divisional officers meeting on development work and ordered them to complete all projects within the stipulated timeframe.
“Failure to meet deadlines will lead to escalating costs,” he noted, while reviewing projects worth more than 50 million rupees.
“The projects will not suffer due to lack of funds,” he announced and warned officials that there should be no compromise on the quality of construction.
He ordered officials to accelerate the construction of community toilets and gram panchayat buildings. He also asked them to digitize all the town secretariats.
The CM commended the Ayodhya division officials for their commendable performance in paying sugarcane quotas to farmers and satisfactory energy distribution.
He praised the recovery of rivers through the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee National Act (MGNREGA) of 2005.
Officials were also instructed to rejuvenate the ponds in the Ayodhya division under the Atal Bhoojal Yojana.
.
