Guptar Ghat of Ayodhya, the place which was chosen by Lord Ram to proceed to heaven as per popular belief and which has a rich spiritual heritage, has emerged as a major tourist attraction of Ayodhya with the Yogi Adityanath government’s initiatives to rejuvenate it, including launch of water sports and boating activities, after years of neglect by previous regimes during which it was reduced to become a shelter for stray animals.
The Yogi government has taken steps to both restore the ghat’s ancient spiritual and historical glory as well as to establish it as an attractive tourist destination in Ayodhya by equipping it with modern civic amenities.
Prior to 2017, Guptar Ghat was considered a dilapidated stretch of the riverbank, primarily known for some ancient temples and meditation sites of saints, where stray animals were often found amid litters strewn all around.
However, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision was efficiently implemented under Chief Minister Yogi, Guptar Ghat transformed, becoming a tourist attraction with riverbank restoration, construction of solid embankments, beautification, widening and expansion of roads, and the introduction of tourist amenities.
Presently, the Lakshman Path connecting Rajghat to Guptar Ghat, has been transformed into a four-lane road through encroachment control and expansion. In addition, various attractions, including water sports, have been developed here, turning the serene banks of the spiritually rich Sarayu into a place that not only provides spiritual solace but also fills visitors with excitement and joy.
Two phases of the Guptar Ghat beautification drive have been completed while the third phase is in the final stage of completion. So far in the third phase of the drive, work on various amenities and attractions have been completed, including an open-air theatre, an aesthetically designed park with modern facilities, attractive sculptures, entrance gates, meditation-cum-yoga centre, kiosks, toilet blocks, interpretation centre, cafeteria, play park for children, CCTV surveillance for security, and more. These projects have been accomplished at the cost of Rs 16.65 crore.
The overall expenditure on beautification processes in Guptar Ghat, encompassing both phases, has been Rs 76.73 crore. This includes the construction of a 1.150 km embankment from Guptar Ghat to Jamthara Ghat at a cost of Rs 39.63 crore as well as development of various projects at a cost of Rs 37.10 crore.
The configuration of the Sarayu river’s bed at Guptar Ghat posed challenges to maintaining the necessary water levels for conducting regular water activities. Therefore, the government is working on construction of embankments and the restoration of barrages to address this issue. Now, in addition to traditional boating, jetties are also operating in the river.
