Updated: April 19, 2024 1:23 PM IST 
Gaya: Gaya is a city steeped in the history and tradition of India, where the echoes of ancient Magadha blend with the renaissance of modern Bihar. In the political battleground of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Gaya finds itself at crossroads, struggling with burning issues like air pollution, low education systems, and traffic jams. Amidst all these challenges, we should not forget the fact that in Gaya lies a tapestry of possibilities, including tourism potential and dreams of metro connectivity, which could change the city forever.
In the current political scenario, with former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi taking the lead from the NDA and Kumar Sarvjeet Paswan contesting from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the political atmosphere is only going to get intense.
Rubber dam on Niranjana River in Gaya
In the 2019 General Assembly Elections, the Gaya Lok Sabha seat witnessed a fierce political battle, witnessing a 56.17% voter turnout in the year 2019. In the 2019 general election, Vijay Kumar, running for JD(U), defeated Jitan Ram Manjhi, who received only 3,14,581 votes.
Gaya getting ready for voting (Image: X.com/ @airnews_patna)
Mahabodhi Temple
1. Rising Air Pollution: As highlighted by the WHO, the severe air pollution crisis in Gaya city indicates a pressing concern for the local residents who have to face concerning health issues due to the long-term impact of air pollution. The political candidates from both the NDA and INDIA Bloc would need comprehensive strategies to address environmental degradation so that they could provide a solution to the crisis.
2. Fragile Education System: In every society, education is seen as a yardstick but when we look at the education system of Gaya, it certainly is not something the locals would be proud of. The voters of Gaya Lok Sabha constituency will have to focus on the plans of the candidates to improve higher secondary education and the performance of Magadh University, which has been a matter of concern for the local students.
3. Huge Problem of Traffic Jams: The rising threat of traffic jams in the Gaya city not only affects daily commuters but also contributes heavily to rising pollution levels, which in turn causes serious health concerns for children and senior citizens. For the candidates, addressing this serious issue will require serious infrastructural recreation and efficient public transportation systems to create a better city to live in.
4. Lack of Tertiary Healthcare Facilities: Talking about the healthcare system of the city, there is a lack of quality tertiary healthcare facilities, signifying an urgent need for healthcare infrastructure improvement so that local patients do not have to travel to Ranchi, Patna or Kolkata in case of emergencies or serious health conditions.
5. Left-wing extremism: Although the incidences of left-wing extremism have declined to negligible levels, some of the panchayats and villages, including Imamganj, Dumariya, Bankebazar, Amas, Barachatti, Paraiya, Gurua, Guraru, Sherghati, Konch, and Dobhi, witness these incidents on a regular basis till date.
6. Water Crisis: Other than all the issues, the issue that has been ignored the most is the daily water requirements. The city receives tap water two times a day and the rest of the time, they have to face the crisis.
1. Tourism Potential: Due to the cultural and religious significance of the Gaya Dham, the city witnesses a huge influx of devotees every year at the Vishnu Pad Temple complex during the Pitrupaksh Mela, as well as Buddhist devotees who visit Bodh Gaya regularly. The Lok Sabha candidates from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat may help the city with a plan to boost tourism in Bodh Gaya, Mahabodhi Temple, and historic lakes situated in the city.
Watch:
Union Minister Amit Shah performs rituals at Vishnu Pad Temple, Gaya
Union Home Minister Amit Shah offers prayers at Vishnupad Temple in Gaya, Bihar pic.twitter.com/jqYoexUV2f
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2022
Mahabodhi Temple- Bodh Gaya
2. Gaya-Bodh Gaya Metro: After metro connectivity almost reaching the state capital, there are high hopes that a metro line might be constructed between Gaya city and Bodh Gaya, which could alleviate traffic congestion and enhance transportation efficiency in the city.
3. Renovation of Historic Ponds: The Gaya city has some historic lakes like Ramsagar Pond, Saryu Pond, and Muchalinda Sarovar (Bodh Gaya) that have been mentioned in various mythological books of Hinduism. The rehabilitation of the historic lakes could enhance the city’s aesthetics and thus provide more recreational spaces for locals and tourists’.
Ritual being performed at Vishnu Pad Tempe Gaya
Watch:
#Bihar: World Famous Pitra Paksha Mela would begin this evening in Gaya ji. The inaugural function has been organised at Vishnu Pad Temple. Devotees are thronging in Gaya to offer prayers. pic.twitter.com/CRMrRym65v
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 28, 2023
“Although I was born and brought up in Gaya, I had to move to Patna for graduation and then to New Delhi for post-graduation due to the lack of quality education in the town. I am currently settled in Gurgaon, far from my birthplace, for employment. This is the story of many youths in Gaya.
Isn’t it possible to create an ecosystem in the town where youths get quality education and fair employment opportunities so that they don’t need to depart from their family and friends? I just expect our next legislators to address this question for the town.” Kumar Shanu, a resident of Gaya who currently stays in Delhi, NCR, spoke about the opportunities in Gaya.
“Gaya is a city that, when unearthed, will lead to the uncovering of layers of history. The Gaya city is known for being the place where the rise of Buddhism took place or the place from which the mighty Mauryan Empire ruled. Speaking of today, the land of enlightenment, salvation and power is now suffering from a low level of literacy and poor health infrastructure. But the recent developments in Gaya have given some hope. In the last 20 years, Gaya has witnessed drastic changes in the education sector. For instance, the newly constructed Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), Indian Institute of Management Bodhgaya and Hotel Management Course will give impetus to the development of the entire region of South Bihar, particularly Gaya. The government of Bihar has taken new initiatives to promote tourism, like creating a new Floral Diversity Park in Dobhi. The magnificent building of BIPARD, the training centre for BPSC officials, and the training centre for the Special Task Force near Bodh Gaya to combat naxalism really give hope to those who are at the margins and the most sufferers of naxal violence,” Pratyush Raja, a local who is currently taking education at the Jawahar Lal Nehru University in Delhi, said about the prospects of Gaya city.
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