Ujjain is an important unit of urban conurbation formed by Indore, Dewas and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. While a sizable economy of the city is directly or indirectly linked to pilgrimage tourism, with more than 200 hotels, it is also emerging as a prime location for destination wedding in the region.
The Ministry of Urban Development has selected Ujjain as one of the smart cities in Madhya Pradesh, in the second phase of the project. The DelhiMumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) has plans to develop infrastructure for the smart city at Vikram Udyogpuri near Ujjain City.
The Rs 300-crore Shri Mahakal Lok, developed under the Smart City Mission was inaugurated by PM Modi in October last year. Within a few months, it has already catapulted the city’s economy miraculously.
According to state Government’s official figures, the daily turnout of visitors to Mahakal shrine has increased from 20,000 to 1,00,000 and the daily offerings from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 70 lakh.
This had had a cascading effect on hospitality industry. The average occupancy in Ujjain’s hotels has risen by 60 per cent and on weekends no room is available, resulting in householders renting their accommodation to earn an extra buck
The sudden inflow of visitors has also helped restaurant owners and shopkeepers. If a visitor spends an average of Rs. 500 per day, this means an additional annual income of Rs. 45 crore for the people of Ujjain. The income on weekdays and religious festivals is many times more.
