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Ayodhya mosque project shifts to traditional design, new plan by year-end
The trust said the previous map was not pursued and was automatically rejected as no objection certificates (NOCs) were not filed. The five-acre land for the project was allotted to the Muslim side by the Uttar Pradesh government in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
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The mosque planned on the five-acre plot in Dhannipur village of Ayodhya will now be built in a traditional architectural style, replacing the earlier proposed futuristic oval-shaped structure. The Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) Trust said the revised design is being prepared and will be submitted to the Ayodhya Development Authority by the end of 2025.
The trust said the previous map was not pursued and was automatically rejected as no objection certificates (NOCs) were not filed. The five-acre land for the project was allotted to the Muslim side by the Uttar Pradesh government in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Zufar Ahmad Faruqi, chief trustee of IICF and chairman of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, said, “The new map for the project has not been submitted yet. It will be submitted by the end of this year. The mosque will now be more traditional in style instead of the futuristic design finalised earlier. Other buildings in the complex will also be changed accordingly.”
He added that the earlier plan was dropped, leading to the auto-rejection of the previous map. “In Ayodhya Development Authority, if NOCs are not filed within a certain period, the plan gets auto-rejected. Now, with the revised design, the authority will specify the required NOCs,” Faruqi explained.
Faruqi said the trust expects to secure all NOCs by December 31. “If we finalise additional land for expansion, then formalities for both projects will be submitted together for approval,” he added. Notably, the trust has also been seeking an additional 15 acres in the district, stating that the allotted five-acre site is insufficient for the ambitious project.
Initially, the IICF had proposed a mosque along with a super-speciality hospital, a public library, a museum dedicated to Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah, who played a key role in the 1857 revolt, and a community kitchen. Faruqi confirmed these facilities will remain in the new design.
