Ayodhya rains: Pre-monsoon rains in parts of north India, such as the national capital Delhi and tourist town Ayodhya, have caused flooding and exposed poor infrastructure.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the roof of the newly inaugurated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was leaking amid rains. The temple's chief priest, Acharya Satyendra Das, expressed 'surprise', saying: “So many engineers are here, and the Pran Pratishtha was held on January 22, but water is leaking from the roof. Nobody would've thought this.”
The next day, PTI reported that heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in parts of Ayodhya, with locals and tourists having to wade in ankle-deep water to make their way across town.
The video (see below) also showed the entrance to the new Ram Temple flooded as devotees lined up outside and the entrance roof missing sheets, leaving those standing underneath exposed.
On June 27, The Hindu reported that Residents of Jalwanpura Colony near Ram Mandir said water entered their homes and also affected the function of guest houses.
"Rain has caused water-logging here, and guests (tourists and devotees) are having difficulties," local resident Amarinder Shukla told the paper. He added that the city sees 2,000-2,500 guests visit the guest houses daily, and they are now encountering problems as even bikes and four-wheelers cannot gain access. Shukla also complained of the water being "extremely dirty".
Another local resident who did not identify himself blamed the hurried construction and careless infrastructure plans for the mess. He told the paper, "The infrastructure plan for Ayodhya has many flaws, causing problems for locals and tourists. The problem has been caused because the work was done in a hurry, which shows carelessness."
Social media has been abuzz with visuals of the state of Ayodhya even before the monsoon properly begins. The city has gained much limelight as the BJP and NDA campaigned hard on the back of infrastructure development and Ram Mandir here.
