Lucknow, Jan 8: The Uttar Pradesh government has unveiled a plan to boost religious tourism and improve sanitation along the Saryu Ghats in Ayodhya by installing 500 prefabricated toilets along the river bank.

The Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) will oversee the implementation of the prefabricated toilets scheme, covering major ghats, just in time for the upcoming Makar Sankranti snan (holy dip) event on January 15.

The move follows Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directive to develop Ayodhya as a religious tourism destination.

The selection and operation of the 500 prefabricated toilets will involve an agency selection process, utilizing the quality cost-based selection method.

Interested agencies must present working prototypes, emphasizing cost-effectiveness. Out of the 500 toilet blocks, 450 will have Indian water closets (IWCs), including 10 designed for differently-abled individuals, while the remaining 40 will feature European water closets (EWCs).

Control rooms, supported by a 24/7 toll-free helpline, will be established for user support.

Access to these toilets will be free for the public for at least 12 months, with the selected agency responsible for maintaining cleanliness, proper functionality, septic waste management, uninterrupted water supply, and the use of eco-friendly cleaning chemicals.

To enhance user experience, the toilets will have multilingual signage, including Hindi, English, Telugu, Gujarati, and Marathi.

Gender-differentiated color-coding (blue for males, pink for females) and instructional signage in multiple languages will be incorporated. Prominent display of helpline numbers in Hindi and English at each booth will further assist users.

This initiative aligns with the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, guidelines from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and directives from the Swachh Bharat Mission SBM 2.0, government said.