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Will the expanded 52-acre Ayodhya temple museum transform the city into a global hub for culture and spiritual tourism as Tata Sons takes charge of design, operations, and world-class exhibitions highlighting the city’s heritage?
UP govt approves expansion of Ayodhya temple museum to 52 acres.
Ayodhya: The Uttar Pradesh government has cleared a major expansion for the upcoming temple museum in Ayodhya, handing over development and operational responsibilities to Tata Sons. The project will now span 52.102 acres, nearly doubling its initially planned 25-acre footprint.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna confirmed that Tata Sons will execute the project through a not-for-profit Section 8 Special Purpose Vehicle. The SPV will include representatives from the Union government, state government, and Tata Sons, ensuring smooth governance and long-term institutional continuity.
Originally, the museum was planned on 25 acres of nazul land in Manjha Jamthara village. Following Tata Sons’ request for more space to incorporate a larger design, the cabinet approved the transfer of an additional 27.102 acres from the Housing and Urban Planning Department to the Tourism Department. The additional land is being provided free of cost, taking the total project area to over 52 acres.
The approval marks a critical step in formalizing the land allocation and operational roles, which were initially outlined in a tripartite MoU signed in September 2024 between the Union Culture Ministry, UP Tourism, and Tata Sons.
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The temple museum is envisioned as a premier cultural institution that will showcase Ayodhya’s civilisational heritage. Planned galleries will explore temple architecture, archaeological finds, Ram Katha traditions, and the historical evolution of the city.
The design also includes immersive digital exhibitions, multimedia storytelling, research and archival facilities, auditoriums, landscaped gardens, sculpture parks, and spaces for cultural events. The museum aims to provide visitors with an engaging and contemporary way to experience Ayodhya’s layered history beyond the Ram Temple.
Since the Ram Temple’s Pran Pratishtha in January 2024, Ayodhya has seen daily tourist numbers reach 2 to 4 lakh. The new museum is expected to disperse visitor concentration from the temple area, extend engagement time, and create a comprehensive cultural experience.
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Khanna described the cabinet’s approval as a key milestone for the city, noting that the project will combine high-quality design, execution expertise, and long-term sustainability, ensuring that the museum becomes a landmark in India’s cultural and tourism landscape.
The SPV model guarantees a non-commercial, CSR-backed management structure for the museum. This ensures that the focus remains on quality, preservation of heritage, and visitor experience rather than profit generation. The involvement of Tata Sons is expected to strengthen design capability and institutional continuity.
In addition to the museum expansion, the cabinet cleared major drinking water projects in Kanpur and Bareilly, new support policies for athletes competing internationally, and the rollout of Divyang Rehabilitation Centres across all administrative divisions.
With the cabinet’s approval, the temple museum now moves into the implementation stage. Once completed, it is poised to become one of India’s most significant cultural landmarks, strengthening Ayodhya’s position as a global hub for heritage, culture, and spiritual tourism.
