UP okays TATA Sons' Rs 650 cr proposal for 'museum of temples' in Ayodhya

UP Tourism Minister Jaivir Singh said the tourism department would provide the company land for the international-level museum on a 90-year lease for a token money of Re 1

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal from the Tata Sons to build a 'museum of temples' in Ayodhya at a cost of Rs 650 crore, officials said.

Sharing details about the decision, Tourism Minister Jaivir Singh said the tourism department would provide the company land for the international-level museum on a 90-year lease for a token money of Re 1.

"Tata Sons had proposed the project through the Central government, offering to build the museum at a cost of Rs 650 crore under its corporate social responsibility fund," Singh said at a press meet here after the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The cabinet also okayed the company's proposal for other development works in the temple town for additional Rs 100 crore, he added.

Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies.

Other proposals approved during the cabinet meeting included the launch of helicopter services in Lucknow, Prayagraj an Kapilvastu under the public-private partnership (PPP) model by building helipads, Singh said.

The cabinet also cleared a proposal to develop dormant heritage buildings into tourist spots, the minister said.

Three such heritage buildings- Kothi Roshan Dulha in Lucknow, Barsana Jal Mahal in Mathura and Shukla Talab (pond) in Kanpur -- were selected for development as tourist spots, he said.

He added that researchers would be selected under the Mukhya Mantri tourism fellowship programme for the purpose.

Urban Development Minister A K Sharma and Finance Minister Suresh Khanna were also present in the press meet.