Ayodhya Mosque Project Scaled Back Amid Funding Shortfall

The mosque project planned as part of the Supreme Court’s 2019 Ayodhya verdict is being significantly reduced after failing to attract sufficient community donations. The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), which was set up to develop the site allocated for the mosque, said it has abandoned its original plan that included a mosque, a 300-bed hospital, and a library due to a lack of funds.

IICF officials said the project has received only around 15 million rupees in donations, far below the estimated 30–50 million rupees needed even for a smaller mosque. Chairman Zufar Ahmad Faruqi said there has been limited interest from the community in supporting the project, prompting the trust to proceed with a scaled-down version of the mosque.

The mosque site was allotted following the Supreme Court’s ruling that granted the disputed Ayodhya land for the construction of the Ram Temple while directing authorities to provide separate land for a mosque. As the mosque project faces financial challenges, the Ram Temple, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024, has also recently come under scrutiny following allegations of misappropriation of donation funds.