LUCKNOW, May 21 -- The temple town will see an expansion of 873 square kilometre under phase-2 of the Ayodhya Master Plan-2031 by including 343 villages from Ayodhya, Basti and Gonda districts. Considering the rapid pace of development in Ayodhya after the inauguration of Ram Mandir on January 22, 2024, villages in the adjoining Basti and Gonda districts will now be within its boundaries. As per Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA), the phase-2 of the Master Plan 2031 covers 873 square kilometres, including Ayodhya Nagar Nigam, Bhadarsa Nagar Panchayat, and Nawabganj (Gonda) Nagar Palika Parishad, along with 154 villages from Ayodhya, 126 from Basti, and 63 from Gonda. According to Ayodhya Development Authority vice-chairman Ashwini Pandey, the master plan has been prepared by taking into account the population of Ayodhya in 2031, which is estimated to be 14 lakh. Infrastructure would be developed considering future requirements, he added. Ayodhya mayor Girishpati Tripathi said the master plan includes provisions for residential, commercial, industrial, and public facilities, ensuring organised development of the city. The Yogi Adityanath government wants to develop Ayodhya as a modern tourist city with world-class infrastructure, better connectivity, hotels, resorts, and cultural centres, officials said. The ADA has organised exhibitions in Ayodhya, Bhadarsa, and Nawabganj to showcase the plan and invite objections and suggestions from the public and stakeholders, officials said. The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) has registered two big housing projects in Ayodhya. The Sarayu housing of Hoabl Realtech Pvt Ltd and UP Awas Vikas Parishad have got their projects registered with the regulatory authority. Notably, the New Ayodhya Township or the GreenField Township will span across 1407 acres on both sides of the Lucknow-Gorakhpur highway....