The Ram Mandir which was once buzzing appears to be waning, evidenced by a significant reduction in flights, trains, and bus services to the city over the past six weeks.

The operation of special trains has ceased, and buses from other states to Ayodhya have been cut back, indicating a decline in passenger flow.

SpiceJet was the first airline to halt direct flights from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Patna to Ayodhya due to low demand. This decision came just two months after the service began. In April 2024, SpiceJet had started flights from Hyderabad to Ayodhya, operating three times a week. However, the last flight was on June 1.

Currently, Indigo and Air India continue to operate flights from Hyderabad to Ayodhya. Airline company employees attribute this reduction to the decreased number of passengers traveling to Ayodhya.

Maharishi Valmiki Airport Director Vinod Kumar commented on the situation, noting that while SpiceJet had stopped its direct service to Hyderabad, traffic remained steady with around 4,000 people commuting. He emphasized that the decision to start and stop flights rests with the airlines, which base their operations on passenger numbers. Kumar remains optimistic, expecting an increase in passengers as the weather cools down.

The Indian Railways has also stopped operating special trains to Ayodhya. The Astha Special trains, introduced for pilgrims post-consecration, have been discontinued due to declining demand. Despite this, 32 to 35 trains continue to arrive daily at Ayodhya Dham and Ayodhya Cantt stations, bringing in approximately 28,000 passengers.

Railway officials noted that although there was a high demand for trains to Ayodhya up until May 15, there has been a slight decrease since then. However, all trains to Ayodhya remain full.

The influx of devotees to Ayodhya saw a surge after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22, with about 1.5 lakh devotees visiting daily from January to March 2024. However, this number decreased in April, and from April to May, around 1 lakh devotees visited daily. Recently, this figure has dropped to between 60,000 and 80,000, with specific counts such as 83,000 on Tuesday, 70,000 on Saturday, and 78,000 on Sunday.