The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) may be preparing to revive Hindu sentiments in Ayodhya on the Ram temple issue but it is the Mayawati government that is all set to give a makeover to this holy city and turn into a major tourist attraction.
According to official sources, a large number of schemes have been prepared for Ayodhya under the Kanshi Ram Urban Development Scheme. A sum of Rs 5 crores has already been made available to the local Nagar Palika Parishad and more funds, are on their way. The total expenditure proposed in the holy city is around Rs 1,200 crores.
Schemes for repairing and widening of roads, providing proper sewerage facilities in the lanes and bylanes of the holy city and adequate lighting of the roads and lanes have already been approved.
Repairing and beautification of ghats along the Saryu river, construction of flyovers and a new convention centre is also on the cards.
The government believes that Ayodhya that now has international recognition, especially after the Babri dispute, could emerge as a major tourist attraction.
“We need to have hotels marching up to international standards, good transport facilities and other world class infrastructure to be able to attract international tourists. But before that, we need basic infrastructure like good roads and proper lighting in the holy city and we are working towards that,” said a senior official in the urban development ministry. Ayodhya is the second Hindu pilgrimage centre in UP that has been earmarked for massive development in UP. In the first phase, the Mayawati government had taken up the development of Mathura-Vrindavan and State Advisory Council chairman Satish Chandra Misra is said to be personally supervising the implementation of the schemes in Mathura-Vrindavan.
While the state government’s initiative may seem to be a purely administrative exercise, sources insist that it also has a political angle to it.
UP chief minister Mayawati apparently wants to prove to upper caste Hindus, particularly Brahmins, that she is as much concerned about their interests as she is about dalits.
“These pilgrim centres are of special interest to upper caste Hindus and by giving them a makeover, we want to prove that this government works on the ‘Sarvjan’ concept,” said a BSP functionary.