KFC outlet in Ayodhya is located far from the Ram Temple. Photo: iStock
After the grand inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the city has been attracting devotees and visitors from across the country. As more people come in, several food chains and shops are opening up near the temple, offering delicious vegetarian food. Along with the Indian cuisine, visitors can also enjoy their favourite fast foods like pizzas from Dominoes, located just a kilometre from the temple. For food outlets to operate at the Panch Kosi Parikrama - a 15-km pilgrimage circuit around Ayodhya visiting sacred sites linked to the Ramayana - the outlets should not be serving meat and liquor.
"We have offers from big food chain outlets to set up their shops in Ayodhya. We welcome them with open arms, but there is only one restriction, that they should not serve non-veg food items inside the Panch Kosi," Moneycontrol quoted Vishal Singh, a government official in Ayodhya.
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Popular food outlets like KFC are located outside the 14 Kosi Parikrama Marg since these outlets sell non-vegetarian food. "KFC has set up its unit at Ayodhya-Lucknow highway because we do not allow non-vegetarian food items here. We are ready to provide even KFC a space if it decides to sell only vegetarian items," Singh added.
NDTV reached out to KFC, but there has been no comment thus far.
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According to the report, business for food shops is great if it is located at Ram Path, closer to the temple. Food outlets like Pizza Hut, located about 8 km from the Ram Temple are getting "fairly good business" but they lament not having a shop closer to the temple. Although Pizza Hut is located outside the Panch Kosi Parikrama Marg, the outlet still serves only vegetarian food in Ayodhya.