Online bus ticketing platform redBus has registered 120 per cent growth in demand on its platform for travel to Ayodhya compared to the same period last year, as the holy city gears up for a consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple.

Over one and a half lakh bus seats are available per day on redBus, the company said, which offers seats from RTCs as well as private bus operators.

The platform offers 339 daily services per day from various regions via private operators and roads transport corporation (RTC) buses including UPSRTC, which alone caters to around 80 per cent of the bus passenger traffic.

Prakash Sangam, the CEO of redBus said, “We are witnessing unprecedented demand for Ayodhya which is not surprising, given that the significance and magnitude of this occasion is attracting people from all over India. We are working continuously with UPSRTC and other partner bus operators to facilitate the smooth travel of devotees and making this occasion memorable for them.”

Jaipur, Chandigarh, Delhi, Dehradun, Indore and Patna run 130 bus services per day to Ayodhya which is expected to go up to 200 services per day soon.

The top intercity bus routes by volume include Delhi to Ayodhya, Jaipur to Ayodhya and Dehradun to Ayodhya.

In terms of routes within Uttar Pradesh, routes from Varanasi to Ayodhya, as well as from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Mathura and Agra to the holy city saw highest traction.

Notably, the longest routes unfold from Maharashtra, including Mumbai-Ayodhya, Pune-Ayodhya, and Nagpur-Ayodhya with a time span of 40 hours to cover the distance. Additional buses are being added by both RTCs as well as private bus operators to cater to the increasing demand, with 25 new services been added already.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched a dedicated bus terminal, the Ayodhya Dham bus terminal for passengers opting to travel by UPSRTC.