Five years on, UP govt yet to allot land in Ayodhya for budget hotel: IRCTC official

New Delhi: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been waiting for almost five years for a piece of land from the Uttar Pradesh government to open a budget hotel for pilgrims in Ayodhya near the railway station or bus depot, a senior official said.

"The Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad allotted land to various other entities but we even after being a public sector undertaking under the Railway ministry working in the field of hospitality and tourism failed to impress upon the state government," the IRCTC official said.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary's office didn't respond to an email send by PTI.

The corporation wrote to Rajendra Kumar Tiwari, the then chief secretary, for the first time on September 3, 2020 around the time when it was developing the Ayodhya Railway Station for the pilgrims.

It had urged the government then to "allot land on payment basis near the railway/bus station building" to set up one budget hotel/dormitory to cater to the needs of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Ayodhya.

A year later, on September 8, 2021, IRCTC's CMD wrote another letter to the government requesting "to expedite the allotment of land on payment basis near railway/bus station of Ayodhya so that IRCTC can go ahead with setting up its hotel accordingly".

The letter added that the matter was discussed with the authorities concerned and "it was informed that land pool is available in Uttar Pradesh for railway projects including promotion of tourism in the state".

The IRCTC also attached with its letter a recommendation from the Deputy Resident Commissioner who had further written to Executive Superintendent of Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad to do the needful. However, no land pool was ever identified for allotment.

The Corporation sent multiple reminders to the Chief Secretary and wrote separate letters to the Principal Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Vice Chairman of Ayodhya Development Authority but all in vain.

"With the objective of providing inexpensive but all inclusive accommodation and ancillary services to the tourists visiting the city, IRCTC is committed to develop a budget hotel property at a strategic location in the city," a letter dated Sept 7, 2022 from Rajni Hasija, the then IRCTC CMD addressed to Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, said.

It added, "The property besides offering accommodation to the tourists will also enhance the opportunity for employment of the local people in the organized sector." IRCTC officials said that they have stopped pursuing the matter now hoping that it will not yield any positive results.