Rs 1,253 cr compensation was paid to those affected in Ayodhya Dham development: District administration

Ayodhya: A total of Rs 1,253.06 crore was paid as compensation to the residents affected by the various construction works for developing Ayodhya Dham, the district administration said on Tuesday, apparently countering claims that there was discontent among the affected people over the issue.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ayodhya's District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said the beautification and widening of various major roads and paths had been done by coordinating with the shopkeepers, building owners and landowners from both sides of the road to make the traffic and movement facilities in Ayodhya modern and smooth.

It said the affected people were rehabilitated as per rules and provided ex-gratia amount ('anugraha dhanrashi') and compensation He said that 4,616 shopkeepers were affected due to the beautification and widening of Rampath, Bhaktipath, Ram Janmabhoomi Path and Panchkosi and Chaudahkosi Parikrama Marg.

Out of these, 4,215 shopkeepers/traders whose shops "were partially affected due to the widening were paid ex-gratia amount per shopkeeper (based on the size of the partially demolished shop)" as their business was affected for some period.

Along with this, extensive beautification of their shops was also done by the administration and all these shopkeepers are running their respective businesses/shops at the same place/shop and at present their business has increased manifold and is running smoothly, the statement said.

A total of 401 shopkeepers were completely relocated in the beautification/widening of the said roads, out of which 339 shopkeepers have been allotted shops by the authority.

With their business being affected for some time due to shifting to another place, an ex-gratia amount ranging from Rs 1 lakh to 10 lakh per shopkeeper (depending on the size of the removed shop) has been paid separately in their accounts.

A total of 79 families have been completely relocated and settled due to the beautification/widening of the roads/paths.

The statement came close on the heels of Samajwadi Party's Awadhesh Prasad wresting the coveted Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, in which Ayodhya falls, from two time-sitting MP Lallu Singh of the BJP.

Awadhesh Prasad had defeated Lallu Singh by a margin of 54,567 votes.

Following the defeat, a section of people claimed that the development and beautification of the temple city had caused hardships to locals and it was one of the factors in the BJP's defeat.

SP district chief Parasnath Yadav had complained that houses were demolished to widen roads. "People in the land of Lord Ram said that injustice is being done to them, and they were being uprooted from their places," he had said.

A total of 1,845 land owners/building owners were affected by this work, to whom, as per rules, an amount of Rs 300.67 crore has been provided in their accounts as compensation and ex-gratia amount, the district administration said.

Similarly, for the construction of the newly-built Maharishi Valmiki International Airport to facilitate air travel to Ayodhya Dham, all the affected families have been rehabilitated as per rules.

By establishing coordination with the affected landholders, the work of land acquisition was done on the basis of their consent, in which a total payment of Rs 952.39 crore was made in the accounts of landowners/building owners, the statement said.

Ram Janmabhoomi Path, Bhakti Path, Ram Path, Panch Kosi Parikrama Marg, Chaudah Kosi Parikrama Marg and the Ayodhya airport were some of the development works carried out there ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22.