Lucknow, February 19 The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday said the increasing number of devotees at major pilgrimage centers across the state, including Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Prayagraj, reflects improved arrangements and infrastructure, while clarifying that no fee has been fixed for 'sugam darshan' (easy access) at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Responding to questions in the UP Legislative Council, Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of the House Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is administered by its temple trust council, which also decides on 'Sugam Darshan' charges.
He said that no such fee has been prescribed for the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Maurya informed the House that between January 2025 and January 2026, about 10.7 lakh devotees were issued 'Sugam Darshan' slips in Kashi.
He said that decisions regarding charges at temples are generally taken by the respective managements or trusts, while the state government oversees security and overall arrangements.
Highlighting the impact of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor, Maurya said that the number of devotees visiting the temple has risen significantly.
While around 77 lakh devotees visited Kashi in 2017, the figure crossed 17 crore in 2025, he added.
The deputy CM said that foreign visitors have also increased in UP.
About 28,000 foreign devotees visited in 2014, the number rose to nearly 3.99 lakh in 2024 and stood at around 3.21 lakh in 2025, he said, attributing the growth to improved facilities and infrastructure.
