New Ayodhya township: Water bodies to replace artificial lake project

The four-km long artificial lake project in the New Ayodhya township has been shelved on the advice of National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) , Roorkee, a government of India body, which was tasked with the responsibility to execute the project.
The NIH advised against the project due to its complexities and probability of flooding during monsoon which could lead to adverse situations.
Conceptualised on the lines of majestic Ram Ki Paidi ghat, the four-km long artificial lake was to be linked with River Saryu to replenish it with water. The lake project was to be spread in 430-acre land and was aptly named the blue and green corridor of the new Ayodhya township.
“The artificial lake project in New Ayodhya township connecting it to River Saryu has been dropped due to technical reasons,” said Neeraj Shukla, secretary Housing Board.
“Now, there will be three or more water bodies (lakes) in the township and each will be spread into 5 acres to 10 acres. They will also help in conserving rain water,” added Shukla.
Each water body will be around 80 feet to 90 feet deep and will be a part of the green belt project in the New Ayodhya township or the Greenfield Township project.
The New Ayodhya township will come up on 1407-acre land on both sides of the Lucknow-Gorakhpur highway. The township project has been conceptualised to decongest existing Ayodhya.
The housing and urban planning department of the Uttar Pradesh Housing Board will execute the new Ayodhya township project that will be extended by 442 acres in the second phase.
The new township will have four link roads of 4.5 km each connecting it with the existing Ayodhya.
In the township, around 367-acre land has been earmarked for residential plots, while group housing will come up on 93 acres,” said Shukla.
“For mutts and ashrams, 55-acre land has been allotted and 60-acre land has been allotted for guest houses of foreign countries,” he added.
The township will come up on the lines of the Gujarat International Finance Tec- City which is popularly known as the GIFT-City.According to the Housing Board, various states have approached the Uttar Pradesh government for land in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh Housing Board has already allotted 6000 sq m land to Gujarat for its state guest house in the new Ayodhya township.