Ramayana Museum project: Centre, state hold talks, eye on 18-month deadline

The new dispensation under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is learnt to have assured the Centre of speeding up acquisition and transfer of land for these projects.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who recently took charge in the state cabinet as Tourism Minister, met Union Culture and Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma in Delhi on Thursday and discussed the proposed Ramayana Museum in Ayodhya, which will be built not too far from the disputed temple site, on “the lines of Akshardham temples in Gujarat and Delhi”. A 25-acre piece of land, said to be less than 10 km away from the disputed site, was granted to the Culture Ministry by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath within days of the BJP coming to power in the state. Now, the Centre has increased the budget allocation for the museum. Officials from the Culture Ministry said that the delegation from the state was briefed in no uncertain terms that the project has to be completed in the next 18 months, well ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Sharma told The Indian Express, “We had allocated Rs 154 crore for the museum, but now the allocation has been increased.” The minister has asked Joshi’s department to submit a detailed project report in the next 15 days so that the allocation could be finalised and the work can take off swiftly.

During the meeting, Joshi and Sharma also directed their respective officials to submit detailed reports for other projects under the Ramayana Circuit at the earliest so that the “18-month deadline for completion of projects could be met”. The new dispensation under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is learnt to have assured the Centre of speeding up acquisition and transfer of land for these projects.

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“Our ministry has been ready with funds but the previous state government wasn’t forthcoming on tourism projects. As much as Rs 400 crore of allocated fund was lying unused till March 31,” said Sharma. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Joshi spoke in detail about the plans for Ayodhya. Referring to the disputed site, she said, “Whatever is sub-judice, we can’t comment on that. But everything around that will be developed from the point of view of tourism. The roads will be beautified, bazaars will be renovated and the railway station and bus stand will be given a facelift in the next one year. The panchkosi parikrama path will be beautified.”

The government plans to develop Ramayana-based tourist centres as part of the Ramayana Circuit. The Ramayan Circuit is one of 13 circuits the Union ministry is planning to develop as part of its Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The scheme is aimed at promoting tourism and generating employment. Ramayan Circuit projects are proposed in three cities of UP — Ayodhya, Shrinhverpur and Chitrakoot.

Divya A

Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More

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