Meet the man behind Ayodhya's transformative makeover; Here's what he has to say

Ayodhya Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal shared details about the ongoing makeover of the holy city.

Ayodhya: As the date of the grand inauguration of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir on January 22 approaches, preparations are in full swing. The holy city is getting a transformative makeover to welcome devotees on this auspicious day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will lead the conduct of the rituals, has started rigorous fasting and prayers as part of the age-old tradition. Amid all the preparations, Ayodhya Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal shared details about the ongoing makeover of the holy city. He stated that the city's beautification and development work was a huge challenge, and a lot of planning and hard work went into completing the mammoth task in such a short time. “The overall beautification and development of Ayodhya was a major challenge for us and a lot of planning and hard work went into all the work that could be accomplished in such a short time. It is largely due to relentless and dedicated work that this transformation of Ayodhya into a pristine and beautiful city has been achieved in just one and a half years,” ANI quoted Dayal as saying.

“We are getting visitors not only from across the country but also from abroad ahead of the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on January 22. There is a daily influx of people from all over the country to Ayodhya as the city enters a new era. makeover with special attention to civil and public infrastructure. The Ayodhya of today is a far cry from what it used to be. The newly constructed Dharma path, Bhakti path Janmabhoomi path and the longest of them all – the 13 km Ram path – are truly beautiful,” the divisional commissioner told ANI.

Dayal said the holy city is ready to receive 'Shri Ram Lalla' after an exile of over 500 years. he stated that the city's transformation is the result of a joint effort involving all stakeholders.

“Ayodhya is fully prepared to welcome Ram Lalla on January 22. The hard work and effort put in by the officials behind the scenes to give Ayodhya a majestic and beautiful makeover are commendable. What we did with the city was not just for money, the work was inextricably linked to our beliefs and feelings. We are toiling day and night to ensure that all pending works are completed before January 22,” Dayal told ANI.

“The redevelopment of Ayodhya from scratch presented us with challenges on several fronts. The city used to be very quiet. There was hardly any crowds or hectic activities here, as you would associate with bustling cities or townships. When I came here, I doubted whether a transformation of the city was even possible. However, the honorable Prime Minister (Yogi Adityanath) had full confidence in me and all the officials posted here under me. The Ayodhya we see today is the result of a collective effort involving all stakeholders. With everyone doing their part with support and suggestions, the task that seemed challenging at first was eventually made easy. We have accomplished a mammoth task in a very short time,” he added.

The best and best technical minds of the country were brought in for the city planning. Suggestions were also made by eminent artists for the beautification of the holy city.

“As of today, all the courses have been completed and the entire city looks enchanting and ready to receive Lord Ram Lalla. Not only have we rebuilt the roads, but during the reconstruction phase, we have issued facade control guidelines for the people, making them responsible stakeholders in the redevelopment of the city. For the urban planning work, we have engaged the best and best technical minds of the country and also sought suggestions from eminent artists. By involving a cross-section of stakeholders, we have been able to accomplish this challenging task,” Dayal told ANI.

Speaking about the 'Surya Stambh', which has been attracting a lot of attention since it was installed as a prominent landmark in the redeveloped Ayodhya, Dayal said, “As you walk on the Dharma path, you come across the Surya Stambh, which is the heritage of Lord Ram . It seems that the people visited this monument extensively as they often stand next to the Surya Stambh and click pictures. We have installed these landmarks across the city after consulting with leading experts and artists from across the country. The CM encouraged us to pursue and implement all the ideas we presented to him. The government has been steadfast in its support for us. They trusted our vision and provided us with all the necessary financial support. We have also received money from companies in the context of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). The gates that welcome visitors to the city were created through the sponsorship of major companies.”

Since Lord Ram was a 'Suryavanshi', several 'Surya Stambh' have been installed on the Dharma path in Ayodhya. Dayal stated that the team broke down big goals into small tasks to achieve the bigger goal.

“By breaking down big goals into small tasks, we managed to achieve the bigger goal of giving Ayodhya a holistic makeover. We had to raze and rebuild approximately 3,100 buildings from the ground up. It was a big challenge. With the help of the facade guidelines, we achieved it in a very short time. As the CM would say, if there is will and the right intention, we can achieve the impossible. No force can stop us. It was only because of the trust he reposed in us that we were able to complete this task,” Dayal told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform the rituals marking the 'Pran Prathishta' of Shri Ram Lalla at the grand temple on January 22.

A team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will perform the main rituals surrounding the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on January 22.