- UP allocated more than $125 million to develop religious hubs.
- The state hosted nearly 1.22 billion visitors in six months.
- Funding focused on Ayodhya’s Ram Path and roads to Vedic Wellness City, Jamthara.
THE UTTAR PRADESH government plans to spend more than $125 million to encourage spiritual tourism. The investment follows a surge in travel, with the state recording nearly 1.22 billion tourist visits from January to June.
The state’s budget 2026-27 allocated $16.5 million for tourism infrastructure in Ayodhya and $55 million under the Chief Minister Tourism Places Development Scheme. Domestic travel increased and more than 3.3 million international visitors arrived, driven by the Mahakumbh festival, according to The Economic Times.
Further allocations include $11 million each for tourist facilities at Vindhyavasini Devi Dham and Varanasi, $11 million for infrastructure in Naimisharanya and provisions for development works in Mathura under the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad.
To manage this growth, the budget allocates $22 million for parikrama paths and facilities at the Vindhyavasini temple complex in Mirzapur and $11 million for temple restorations.
In Ayodhya, the main approach road, Ram Path, is nearing completion under the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple access road project. Work is also underway to upgrade the road linking the proposed Vedic Wellness City at Jamthara to the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
Academic activities have begun at the Vedic Science Center in Kashi after initial phases were completed, the Times reported. Other cultural projects, including museums and memorial complexes linked to prominent personalities, are underway to expand the state’s tourism offerings.
Separately, India’s Union Budget 2026–27 also made tourism a focus for employment, infrastructure and regional development.
