Ayodhya development authority slashes shop prices for displaced allottees

Lucknow, June 21: In a significant policy shift, the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) has announced a 30 percent reduction in shop prices for allottees displaced by a road widening project in Ayodhya. The new policy was approved during a high-level meeting chaired by Ayodhya Divisional Commissioner and ADA Chairman Gaurav Dayal.

In addition to the price reduction, the ADA has approved a proposal to provide 500 newly constructed shops to the displaced allottees on a 20-year easy installment plan without interest. This proposal will now be sent to the Uttar Pradesh government for final approval.

"We have approved a proposal to cut shop costs by 30 percent and to hand over shops on a 20-year interest-free installment plan," said Dayal.

The affected shopkeepers were displaced by the 13-kilometer road widening project from Sahadatganj to Naya Ghat, known as Ram Path, which was completed in December 2023. Previously, shopkeepers had to pay the full amount upfront to take possession of the new shops, which cost around Rs 15 to 20 lakh. Due to financial constraints, only about 75 shopkeepers were able to take possession by last month.

"We are thankful to the state government for reducing the shop costs by 30 percent and allowing the remaining amount to be paid in easy interest-free installments over 20 years," said Ved Prakash Gupta, a BJP MLA from Ayodhya (Sadar) Assembly constituency.

In a recent development, the BJP suffered a significant defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, with two-time MP Lallu Singh losing to Samajwadi Party's Awadesh Prasad by a margin of 54,567 votes. Following the grand opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, the people of Faizabad voted and rejected the BJP.

State BJP Chief Bhupendra Chaudhary recently visited Ayodhya to understand the reasons behind the party's defeat in the temple town.