Ayodhya: Ayodhya on Wednesday witnessed an unprecedented rush of devotees on the first day of the New Year as the temple town saw an overwhelming turnout of pilgrims, particularly at the newly constructed Ram Mandir.

Ayodhya experienced an overwhelming influx of pilgrims at the Ram Mandir on the first day of the New Year. Thousands of devotees gathered for darshan, with local authorities enacting strict measures to manage the large crowds and ensure safety through traffic control and additional security arrangements.

Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi earlier told media that currently, 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh people are turning up in Ayodhya daily and on New Year's Day (January 1) three to five lakh people will be visiting the town.

As the new year began on Wednesday, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday witnessed an unprecedented rush of devotees to pay homage to the deity of Ram Lalla. Devotees started arriving from 7:00 AM on January 1, 2025 at the temple. Entry will be allowed until 9:00 PM tonight.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Construction Committee chairman Nripendra Mishra stated that the temple's construction is set for completion by June 2025. He added that the construction of ramparts and shoe racks would extend until September 2025.