Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday highlighted the transformation of Ayodhya since 2017, saying the launch of Deepotsav had helped give the temple town a distinct identity on the global stage.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Tech Sangam International Conference in Lucknow, Adityanath recalled that Ayodhya faced power shortages and inadequate infrastructure before 2017, claiming the town received only three hours of electricity a day.
He said people had questioned whether Deepotsav could be organised in Ayodhya when he proposed the event in 2017. “I said, ‘Why not?’” he recalled.
Adityanath said Deepotsav had since grown into a major event, attracting lakhs of visitors and reaching audiences across the world.
The Chief Minister also pointed to improvements in Ayodhya’s infrastructure, saying narrow roads had given way to four-lane and six-lane highways. He cited the construction of an international airport as another step towards improving connectivity with the rest of the country and the world.
He argued that the historical neglect of Ayodhya had also affected Uttar Pradesh’s progress, adding that the town’s development was part of a broader effort to transform the state.
