Only invitees, govt officials, scribes to stay in hotels on January 22: Ayodhya DM
District magistrate Nitish Kumar has reportedly asked all hotel owners in the district to ensure that bookings for January 22 should only be for invited guests, media persons and government officials.
In light of Pran Pratishtha on January 22, the Uttar Pradesh government has clarified that only people invited by the temple trust, journalists and government functionaries on duty can enter Ayodhya a day before and on the day of the ceremony. Prior hotel bookings on these days of all others will be cancelled, officials said.
(File)
District magistrate Nitish Kumar has reportedly asked all hotel owners in the district to ensure that bookings for January 22 should only be for invited guests, media persons and government officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony along with vedic bramhins from across the country. Dignitaries from multiple fields and celebrities are also likely to attend the event.
In an official statement, the government said it has come to officials’ notice that some people had booked hotels and dharamshalas [in Ayodhya] on the day of the Pran Pratistha ceremony on January 22. Their booking should be cancelled, it instructed and added that about 100 planes could be landing at the Ayodhya airport on the day for which necessary arrangements must be made.
The note went on to add that actions might be taken against those who enter the town without a permit.
The DM, meanwhile, said, “We are investigating the hotel bookings already made in Ayodhya hotels during Pran Pratishtha. We will take the necessary action.”
A hotel owner said: “The administration has collected the list of our guests who have booked rooms in advance... We are not sure how we will be managing the bookings.” HTC