Rs 500 cr for infra upgrade of pilgrimage destinations

Lucknow: The UP govt significantly scaled up its focus on religious tourism in the 2026-27 Budget, earmarking Rs 500 crore under the Chief Minister Tourism Development Scheme to strengthen infrastructure across key pilgrimage destinations.Presenting the Budget, finance minister Suresh Khanna said the state witnessed a sharp rise in tourist footfall. Between Jan and June 2025, UP received nearly 122 crore visitors, including over 121 crore domestic tourists and more than 33 lakh foreign arrivals, underlining the growing prominence of faith-based and heritage travel.
Ayodhya continues to remain in a central focus with Rs 150 crore proposed for tourism infrastructure development through the Shri Ayodhya Tirth Vikas Parishad. Naimisharanya was allocated Rs 100 crore for infrastructure augmentation, while development works in Mathura will be carried out under the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad to strengthen facilities for pilgrims and family visitors.The Budget also provides Rs 100 crore each for enhancing tourist amenities at Vindhyavasini Devi Dham and in Varanasi, aimed at improving connectivity, crowd management, accommodation and the overall visitor experience in the Varanasi-Mirzapur belt.In a move to expand accommodation capacity and promote community participation, govt set a target of developing 5,000 new homestays across the state. Officials said the initiative is expected to generate local employment and encourage longer stays.Tourism minister Jaiveer Singh said the consistent rise in footfall reflects growing faith and confidence in Uttar Pradesh's destinations. "With enhanced allocations for Ayodhya, Naimisharanya, Varanasi, Vindhyachal, Mathura and Prayagraj, we aim to improve amenities, increase visitor comfort and extend average stays, thereby strengthening local economies," he said.