Sudden influx of pilgrims prompts ban on vehicles' entry into Ayodhya

LUCKNOW: A day after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla idol at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Uttar Pradesh government has imposed an immediate ban on all incoming vehicles, including state roadways buses in view of an overwhelming surge of devotees on Tuesday.

Tuesday morning saw a sudden influx of pilgrims in Ayodhya, causing a chaotic situation and challenging the security arrangements in place. While some individuals sustained minor injuries due to overcrowding, there were no reports of serious harm.

The unexpected surge of devotees prompted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath late on Tuesday evening to assess the situation. Observing the massive crowd, the Chief Minister decided to restrict further pilgrim arrivals in Ayodhya.

A meeting was held on the situation in Ayodhya following which the authorities decided to impose a ban on all vehicles bound for Ayodhya for the next few days. All online bookings made for these vehicles have been cancelled, and refunds for bus fares of pilgrims are to be processed promptly.

The doors of the temple were opened on Tuesday morning for the general public after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation has also suspended all buses to Ayodhya due to the large number of visitors and unmanageable crowds in the city until further notice.

Officials said: “No passenger should be sent to Ayodhya right now. There is a problem in controlling the increasing crowd. Arrangements should be made to send people elsewhere from Ayodhya. There are no restrictions for travellers beyond Ayodhya.”

The 933 UPSRTC buses that were travelling directly or via Ayodhya have either been stalled or diverted, they added.

Moreover, the Ayodhya Dham Express fleet of 10 buses, or the Ram Raths that would take pilgrims directly to the Ram temple, are also stationed at the depots in Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ballia and Prayagraj, waiting to be called to duty.