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Yogi government plans 100 meter tall Lord Ram statue at Ayodhya’s Saryu riverfront

Published

9 years ago

on

Yogi Aditynath

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Part of the UP government’s effort to put Ayodhya on the religious tourism map, the proposal is also politically polarising

In the midst of a revival of the BJP’s politically polarising campaign for constructing a Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Masjid demolition, the Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh is now also working on a proposal to erect a 100-meter-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya.

The proposal for the “grand stature”, according to a report in the Indian Express, is part of the BJP government’s plan to showcase “Navya (new) Ayodhya.” The report said that the proposal had been presented to Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik as part of the state tourism department’s initiatives to promote religious tourism.

The government’s slideshow put the height of the statute at 100 meters but the Indian Express report also qualified this aspect saying that some officials claimed that the dimensions of the statue hadn’t been finalised as yet.

According to a press communique released from Raj Bhavan, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Awanish Kumar Awasthi had made the presentation which also included information on programmes scheduled for Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya on October 18. Governor Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma will be present on the occasion.

The communique stated that the statue will be build at Saryughat after clearance from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Media reports said that the state government’s plan of putting Ayodhya prominently on the religious tourism map also includes construction of a Ram Katha gallery on the banks of the Saryu river, a multi-purpose auditorium in the Digambar Akhara premises and various public utility services. The Adityanath government had reportedly sent a detailed project report outlining these proposals for the integrated development of Ayodhya to the Union ministry of tourism and sought funds worth Rs 195.89 crore. It is learnt that the ministry has already sanctioned Rs 133.70 crore to the state.

While the Adityanath government’s stated objective behind the installation of the grand Lord Ram statue may be to promote Ayodhya as a religious tourism destination, the obviously political motivations behind the move cannot be discounted.

Ever since the BJP began its victory march at the hustings with its victory in the May 2014 general elections and following it up with a landslide mandate in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, the party’s efforts of reviving its narrative for building a grand Ram Temple at the site where its leaders led a mob to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992 have accelerated.

Last month, Uttar Pradesh health minister Sidharth Nath Singh had quoted an astrologer while asserting that the Ram Temple will be built before 2019. Chief minister Adityanath has himself been unwavering in his support for building a Ram Temple at the disputed site while the plan is also known to have the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and RSS leadership.

The destruction of the Babri Masjid by a Hindu mob that was led by BJP veterans like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati (all of whom are currently facing criminal charges in an ongoing case related to the demolition in the Supreme Court) had triggered nationwide Hindu-Muslim riots in 1992. The riots also helped the BJP gain national prominence. In the years since, the party has never shied away from asserting that it would ensure the construction of a Ram Temple on the ground where the Babri Masjid once stood – which the BJP and its sympathizers claim was actually the site of an ancient temple built to mark the birthplace of the Hindu god.

While the Supreme Court is expected to begin proceedings in December on a bunch of petitions filed by various organisations that support and oppose the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site, it is expected that the BJP – with its brute majority both at the Centre and in UP – would begin the groundwork for projecting Ayodhya as the reported Ram Janmbhoomi before the apex court can even dispose of the case, one way or the other. The plan to erect the Ram statue appears to be part of this larger design.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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3 dead, several trapped after six-storey building collapses in Delhi, rescue operations continue

Three people died and two were critically injured after a six-storey PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. Several others are feared trapped.

Published

6 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

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Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

15 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

By

PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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