About 170 shopkeepers will be completely displaced and 330 others partially displaced due to the road widening project. The Ayodhya administration has compensated all of them.
Lucknow: The Ayodhya administration on Sunday started demolishing shops on Ram Janmabhoomi Bhakti Marg as part of the state government’s road widening project.
The administration had issued a deadline of October 30 to traders to vacate their shops. (Pic for representation)
The administration had issued a deadline of October 30 to traders to vacate their shops.
Opposing the drive, the traders had requested the state government to extend the deadline to vacate shops till the festive occasion of Kartik Purnima on November 8.
“We requested the Ayodhya administration to extend the deadline to vacate shops till Kartik Purnima (November 8). But all our pleas have been rejected,” said Nand Lal Gupta, trader leader.
The demolition drive will continue on Monday also.
About 170 shopkeepers will be completely displaced and 330 others partially displaced due to the road widening project. The Ayodhya administration has compensated all of them.
The traders also pointed out that a large number of devotees would visit Ayodhya on the two annual parikramas( circumambulation) starting from November 1.
The Chaudah Kosi Parikrama will start on November 1 at midnight and end the next day at 10: 33 pm. Similarly, the Panchkoshi Parikrama will start on November 4 early in the morning and end the same day.
“Several lakh devotees from Ayodhya and adjoining regions are expected to attend these two parikramas. This festive occasion is an opportunity for traders to do brisk business. But the demolition drive has marred all business opportunities,” said Gupta.