Hotels only for invitees, officials on duty, scribes on Jan 22 in Ayodhya

Lucknow, Jan 7 – In view of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced that only people invited by the temple trust, journalists and government functionaries on duty, can enter Ayodhya a day before and on the day of the ceremony.

Prior hotel bookings on these days of all others have been cancelled, officials said.

District Magistrate Nitish Kumar has reportedly asked all hotel owners in the district to ensure that bookings for January 22 should only be for invited guests, media persons and government officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony along with Vedic Brahmins from across the country.

In an official statement, the government said it has come to the officials’ notice that some people had booked hotels and dharamshalas in Ayodhya on the day of the Pran Pratistha ceremony on January 22. Their booking should be cancelled, it said, and added that about 100 planes could be landing at the Ayodhya airport on the day for which necessary arrangements must be made.

The statement went on to add that action might be taken against those who enter the town without a permit.

The district magistrate, meanwhile, said, “We are investigating the hotel bookings already made in Ayodhya hotels during Pran Pratishtha. We will take the necessary action.”