The mayor of Ayodhya, Rishikesh Upadhyay, on Sunday said that the ancient holy city will be developed as a major pilgrimage centre, a day after the Supreme Court delivered the landmark verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case.

In an exclusive interview to Zee Media, the mayor of Ayodhya said, "The ancient city of Ayodhya will be developed as a major pilgrimage centre. An Ayodhya Pilgrimage Development Council will be set up which will be tasked with developing the city with the state-of-the-art modern infrastructure to promote tourism and connectivity.''

Upadhyay said as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the top district and Uttar Pradesh government officials in coordination with the Central government will meet soon to chalk out a detailed roadmap for the all-round development of Ayodhya.

Ayodhya mayor also said that there is a proposal to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya - his birthplace.

The Union Ministry of Culture will be the nodal agency in the development of Ayodhya. The Prime Minister may call a meeting next week to decide on the future course of action after the government’s legal advisers go through the 1045-page SC judgement.

According to the Union Culture Ministry, the new Ayodhya plan also envisages a Ram Museum in the city, which will house artefacts and antiquities that were found by the ASI while digging the site.

In anticipation of a heavy influx of tourists in the aftermath of the top court ruling, the government has plans of developing the area around the temple.

The places surrounding the deity's birthplace and proposed temple site might be declared a heritage site.

1. Proposal to set up Ayodhya Pilgrimage Development Council

2. Ayodhya Pilgrimage Development Council will work to promote tourism and developing it as a modern city

3. Installing ten gates dedicated to Lord Ram in Ayodhya

4. Construction of an airport in Ayodhya

5. Deadline for the first flight to and from Ayodhya being May 2020.

6. Development of an International Bus Terminal with state-of-the-art facilities

7. World-class railway station with an estimated investment of Rs 100 crore, fashioned after the Ram Mandir

8. Provision for under-ground cabling

9. Ten 5-star hotels in Ayodhya, the construction of which will begin from December

10. Proposal for construction of 5 big resorts in Ayodhya

11. Plan to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river

13. Plan to come up with a "Raen Basera" which can accommodate 10,000 people

14. Construction of 5-km long flyover connecting Ayodhya with Faizabad

15. Proposal for a medical college in Ayodhya

17. Development of all major public spots, parks in Ayodhya to promote tourism

18. Repair and restoration of all small reservoirs linked to Lord Ram

19. Connecting India with Ramayan circuit

20. 4-lane road between Ayodhya to Chitrakoot

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said today will be remembered as a golden day in the history of this India’s judiciary as it heard everyone with patience and gave a unanimous verdict on the long-pending Ayodhya land title case.

According to the Ramayana, Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya to Queen Kaushalya and King Dasharatha. This place is identified with Ayodhya in present-day Uttar Pradesh. In accordance with Hindu beliefs, an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ram existed in the place before it was demolished by Mir Baqi, one of the generals of the first Mughal emperor Babur who built the Babri Masjid ("Babur's Mosque") in 1528 in its place.

The Supreme Court delivered the much-awaited verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, ruling in favour of Hindus while ordering 5-acre land for Muslims at an alternate site in Ayodhya. 

Addressing the nation after the Supreme Court judgment, Modi said the day is historic for various reasons and drew an equivalence with the fall of Berlin Wall which took place on this day exactly 30 years ago.